Chris Grayling presented yesterday at the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and said: “I expect the first completely self-driving cars to reach the market and to be used on UK roads by 2021. I want to see that revolution happening by then.”

A “cluster of excellence” is also to be created along the M40 corridor to develop driverless car technology using existing testing centres in Birmingham, Coventry, Oxford, Milton Keynes and London - the UK has 5 leading cities out of 21 cities around the world. Check out https://t.co/VHx51rC6HT for other competing cities.

A new automated & electric vehicles bill is progressing through parliament currently, in turn looking to mandate that insurance be provided for these new technologies, breaking down the barrier to entry.

ABI director general Huw Evans said: “Fully automated cars have the potential to drastically improve road safety, reduce transport delays and increase the mobility of thousands of people who currently find it hard to get around."

So, 2021. That's 3 years. With this new technology on the horizon, it will be how we choose as human beings to influence our behaviour that will be key.

Whilst it presents new opportunities for the disabled & old it also opens up new opportunity for business on how you interact with consumers - just think of couriers as one example. 74% of the cost of the courier is the courier employee costs - remove that and well you have a whole different model to interact with your consumer base.

One thing is for sure, driverless tech is coming and it's coming fast & as consumers will change how we interact with society forever.