Flourish

Self-driving cars are being built with a specific, often-overlooked group in mind: older people and those with assisted living needs. The problem is that connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) are being developed primarily for technology enthusiasts, not for the wider public. This risks creating systems that are technically impressive but inaccessible, insecure, or untrustworthy for large segments of the population. FLOURISH addresses this gap by using older adults as a test case to understand the diverse needs of a real user group, then applying those lessons to the broader community. If successful, the project will produce products and services that make CAVs genuinely usable for everyone, not just the able-bodied and tech-savvy. It will also expand physical and virtual test facilities in the Bristol City-Region, aiming to create up to 10,000 jobs by establishing the area as a world-class independent testing hub for CAVs. The work focuses on technical security, privacy, and user trust—the quiet infrastructure that will determine whether self-driving cars actually improve daily life or remain a niche curiosity.