In 2015 the UK government announced a £20 million fund to develop driverless cars. The aim is simple – make driving easier, improve safety, cut congestion and reduce pollution. The automated car industry is set to be worth £900 billion by 2025, but are people ready to take their hands off the wheel?

While young adults often occupy the roles of early technological adopters, some are predicting that the over-50s will be the demographic most interested in driverless cars. Could these vehicles first and foremost help those with mobility issues?

Almost 1.5 million over-65s struggle to get to a hospital and 630,000 have difficulty getting to a GP. Yet despite being eligible for a free bus pass, a third of UK seniors never use public transport. Gen Yers have adopted Uber and ride-shares, but what tools are seniors using to get around?

Imagine a future in which we all navigate the urban jungle in slick, driverless cars that are ordered via app. With no labour costs, these cars are the new buses – a public transport system that’s more convenient than ever. This is what the future will look like if Uber has anything to do with it.