Our Ref:         FOI-1153-1718

Thank you for your request received on 11 August 2017 asking for information about autonomous vehicles.
 
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and our information access policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you require. You asked for:
 
1)    Could you provide electronic copies of any studies either conducted in-house or outsourced to a third-party that relate to the impact of autonomous vehicles on London?
 
Attached is an internal policy paper which outlined some very early thoughts about the future of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) and their potential impacts. The paper has been largely superseded by another paper which was considered by a Panel of the Board on 13 July 2017 and is published at the first link below. Some information has been withheld in accordance with exceptions 12(4)(d) and 12 (4)(e) of the EIRs. Any redactions that have been made are because this part of your request either relates to material which is still in the course of completion or is unfinished (12(4)(d) ) or because the information is part of an internal communication which still requires to be withheld (12(4)(e).
 
Both Regulation 12(4)(d) and 12(4)(e) are subject to a public interest test requiring us to assess whether the public interest in applying these exceptions outweigh the public interest in disclosure. In this instance the panel consider that the public interest favours non-disclosure under Regulation 12(4)(d) as much of the information contained within this document has been superseded by more recent, complete and accurate published information. Disclosure of out of date, incomplete or irrelevant information would serve no public interest. We consider the public interest favours non-disclosure under Regulation 12(4)(e) because the importance of preserving a private space in which public authorities can set out and consider policy advice and options outweighs the public interest in greater transparency of this aspect of our work.
 
Also attached is a section of a customer research document regarding autonomous cars. The following documents which are published on our website may also be of interest: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/customer-service-op-performance (item 10, meeting of 13 July 2017).
 
In June 2017 the Mayor’s Transport Strategy was published which may also contain some information of relevance and interest: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/planning-for-the-future/the-mayors-transport-strategy.
 
Finally the following link is to an FOI response from March of this year which is published on our website: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-2425-1617.
 
We have a current ongoing Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) research project. This project will look at developing a tool which will help with “Designing and Simulating Integrated Autonomous Vehicle and Public Transport Services in London”. The research is due to be completed in May / June 2018 when the thesis will be finalised. Any related papers will be published from summer 2018 onwards. Therefore any draft information we may hold in relation to the ongoing project is also exempt from disclosure under Regulation 12(4)(d) as it is unfinished material which is in the course of being completed. Again in this instance we consider that the public interest favours the completion and full analysis of this project to be concluded and made available in line with our publication plans.
 
2)    Could you list and detail any ongoing or upcoming studies to be either conducted in-house or outsourced to a third-party that relate to the impact of autonomous vehicles on London?
 
We are actively exploring other opportunities for  modelling of the impacts of CAVs, details of which we will make available before the end of 2017.
 
3)    Can you provide details of how much TFL funding is being allocated to the research of autonomous vehicles and their impact on London?
 
No funding has currently been allocated.
 
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please feel free to contact me.
 
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
 
Yours sincerely

Gemma Jacob
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

[email protected]

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