A DRIVERLESS car firm has launched a new workshop in Oxford and said the ‘adventurous and forward-thinking’ city was the logical place for autonomous vehicles.

Start-up company Streetdrone has built a car model for researchers and students to use to test autonomous driving software.

It wants universities to make use of the technology and test safety apps – work previously undertaken by car manufacturers and Uber and Google.

The firm has been up and running for 18 months, designing and building its driverless car, but officially launched its workshop space in Osney Mead earlier this week.

Its co-founder Mark Preston, who has worked in Formula 1 and Formula E, has brought in expertise and engineers from that field to develop the car and software.

He said: “We manufacture autonomous cars and we also develop software which, along with the cars, we will sell to university start-ups.

“I live here and I’ve worked in Formula 1 in the area as well and know there’s plenty of expertise close by - it’s just logical to be here.

He added: “We will be testing our cars in Oxfordshire, at Bicester Heritage and other testing centres, and once we are confident they will be out on the roads around the county.”

Testing of driverless cars began on Oxford’s roads earlier this year when Oxbotica took its vehicles out near its Summertown offices after successful trials at Culham science campus.

In what could be a further boost for driverless technology in the city, Oxford is set to implement the world’s first zero emission zone in 2020 and both the city and county council have taken measures to encourage sustainable travel and electric vehicles.

Streetdrone co-founder and CEO Mike Potts said that forward-thinking approach, the county’s standing as a hub of science and innovation, and the universities made the perfect combination to develop and implement driverless cars.

He said: “There’s a great supply of talent here.

“The local authorities are very adventurous – Oxford will have the world’s first zero emission zone in 2020.

“They are very forward looking, which makes it a good place to be based.”

The pair said that rules of engagement regarding driverless cars – set out by the Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles – were ‘flexible’ at the moment - with vehicles only needing to be road-worthy, taxed and to pass an MOT.

Aside from leading the way in autonomous vehicle technology and road-testing, the country’s first official trial will also be carried in Oxfordshire.

It will see commuters taken from Didcot Parkway station to Milton Park in autonomous pods.

A 30-month trial, run by a consortium including FirstGroup, local councils and electric cars manufacturer Arrival, has been announced following a £2.5m grant from the Government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK.

The pods will travel on private roads in the 250-acre business and technology park, but also on public roads that link the site with transport services.