The government could use sat navs to impose a pay-as-you-go tax on car owners, The News of Portsmouth UK reported from a conference there.

Transport experts who gathered at the city’s university were told the continuing development of in-car technology meant that levying motorists for the number of miles they drive could become a reality by 2020.

Frederic Bruneteau, one of the speakers at the Intelligent Transport Systems conference, said that increasingly over the past 18 months motorists have been buying sat navs or smart phones with a two-way connection.

But, he said, by 2020 it is predicted they will be the norm, which could allow governments to charge motorists variable road tax depending on how far they drive.

Go to The News to see the entire article.