---
title: "An Autonomous Vehicle Project Sets Its Sights On a 200-Mile Test Drive in 2019"
description: "The HumanDrive initaitvie is developing a car that can handle UK-specific roads and terrain, and ultimately take its first self-driven test drive in 2019."
date: "2018-02-01"
modified: "2018-02-01"
authors:
  - name: "Kyree Leary"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kyree"
url: "https://futurism.com/autonomous-vehicle-project-sights-200-mile-test-drive-2019"
categories:
  - "Advanced Transport"
  - "Self-Driving Vehicles"
tags:
  - "autonomy"
  - "humandrive"
  - "Self-driving cars"
  - "uk"
---

# An Autonomous Vehicle Project Sets Its Sights On a 200-Mile Test Drive in 2019

![self-driving cars humandrive autonomy uk](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/renault-nissan-to-launch-more-than-10-driverless-cars-through-2020-103503_1.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://www.alliance-2022.com/connected-mobility/" target="\_blank"\>Nissan\</a\>\</em\>*

## Go the Extra Mile

Designing a self-driving car that can travel short distances is already an achievement in itself, but a new initiative aims to really put self-driving technology to the test in a long distance journey in the United Kingdom (UK). The [HumanDrive Initiative](<http://www.humandrive.co.uk/>), as it's somewhat ironically called, plans to deploy an autonomous vehicle next year for a self-driven test drive of 320 kilometers (200 miles).

This initiative is a collaborative effort between Transport System Catapult, Groupe Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi, Cranfield University, Highways England, and several other universities and companies.

Transport Systems Catapult, which oversaw one of [the first driverless car tests in the UK in 2016](<https://ts.catapult.org.uk/news-events-gallery/news/self-driving-vehicles-operating-public-first-time/>), explains that the ultimate goal of [the 30-month long project](<https://ts.catapult.org.uk/news-events-gallery/news/humandrive-autonomous-car-project/>) is to deploy a car capable of handling various driving scenarios that are largely unique to the UK, including country roads, high speed roundabouts, and A-Roads. Ideally, it will also do well in live traffic and in different weather conditions, all while mimicking a "natural human driving style" that allows passengers to have a pleasant experience.

![The HumanDrive Initiative's autonomous car, a while vehicle with a roof rack and a similar design to a Prius. This vehicle is slotted for a 200-mile self-driven test drive in 2019.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/HumanDrive-car-image.jpg>)
*The HumanDrive Initiative's autonomous car. Image Credit: Transport Systems Catapult*

Before the HumanDrive project begins its self-driven test drive in December 2019, however, [*BBC News* reports](<http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42887403>) that its AI system needs to be developed and thoroughly tested. Testing will be conducted in simulated environments, private test tracks, and small sections of public roads.

## Behind the Competition

The UK is aiming [to have self-driving cars on the road by 2021](<https://futurism.com/uk-expects-driverless-cars-streets-2021>). While that's only three years away, it still puts the UK behind other countries and companies that are deploying self-driving cars right now. Waymo and Apple, for example, both [recently increased](<https://futurism.com/waymo-fiat-autonomous-vehicles>) their [respective fleets of driverless cars](<https://futurism.com/bid-compete-apple-grows-fleet-self-driving-cars>), with Waymo also [expanding its testing to San Francisco](<https://futurism.com/waymo-chrysler-pacifica-san-francisco>). Canada's [been testing driverless cars since October](<https://futurism.com/canada-is-officially-testing-driverless-cars-on-public-streets>), and South Korea [built a city](<https://futurism.com/south-korea-built-city-test-self-driving-cars>) to test their own driverless vehicles.

That said, Nissan has been [testing its own self-driving cars in London](<https://futurism.com/self-driving-cars-are-hitting-the-roads-in-london>) since February 2017. The company's experience should go a long way to make the HumanDrive initiative a success.

"Low carbon and self-driving vehicles are the future and they are going to drive forward a global revolution in mobility," said Greg Clark, Secretary of State for the UK's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, [in a press release](<https://ts.catapult.org.uk/news-events-gallery/news/humandrive-autonomous-car-project/>). "Trailblazing projects like the HumanDrive project will play a vital role helping us deliver on that ambition."

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/KyreeLeary>)