Sinclair calls for 'thinking motorways'

MOTORWAYS which 'drive' the vehicles on them are best way to solve traffic problems, Sir Clive Sinclair, the inventor, says in a report from the right-wing Adam Smith Institute, Traffic in the City, published today. Automating the roads is the only answer to the problems of transport flow and traffic's environmental effects, Sir Clive says. 'What I envisage . are motorways that you drive to, but once on them the control of the vehicle is taken over by the road.'

This would enable cars to travel at about 100mph, very close together and in great safety. 'Of course it will be very costly to transfer from our present situation to such a situation, but I believe we will have to.'

Sir Clive, whose earlier contribution to traffic technology was the Sinclair C5 electric tricycle, says he is convinced that automation will happen eventually.