John McDermid appointed to Department for Transport’s Science Advisory Council

Posted on Thursday 18 June 2026

The Science Advisory Council is an independent panel of academic and industry experts who provide strategic scientific advice, horizon scanning and challenge to the department, ensuring its work is of the highest standard.

Professor McDermid’s research focuses on the safety of robotics and autonomous systems and developing assurance frameworks. He has extensive experience advising government and industry on assurance and regulation of AI and autonomous systems. The frameworks he has developed are already being deployed across aerospace, automotive and maritime.

He joins the Council at a critical time as the transport sector transitions towards systems which rely on automation and AI.

Professor McDermid said: “I’m incredibly honoured to join the DfT Science Advisory Council. As the transport sector increasingly relies on automation and AI, ensuring these technologies are robustly regulated and safely integrated into our infrastructure is vital. I look forward to working with the Council to bring evidenced-based insights to national policy.”

Professor McDermid has been a Professor of Software Engineering at the University of York since 1987 and the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Chair of Safety since January 2024. 

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