Rail minister Claire Perry has made suggestions for how driverless vehicles could be used in the future. This could include driverless school buses and automated school runs.

Ms Perry said: “It’s incredibly exciting because there is an opportunity to use time and capacity more effectively.”

She acknowledged fears over “zombie robot taxis”, but said that with rigorous work to protect the vehicles from attacks by hackers, they have the potential to significantly reduce accidents, the majority of which are caused by driver error.

The government has taken major steps towards embracing the new technology, with trials of driverless vehicles currently underway, and a regulatory review of autonomous vehicles due to be published in January by the Department for Transport.

According to a recent report published by the the Institution of Engineering and Technology, driverless vehicles could be transporting goods and passengers on UK roads in as little as 15 years.