The future is here and it is driverless. Today, Whitehall sources confirm that No-Driver Zones, areas where only autonomous vehicles are permitted, will be enforced from midnight in London, Manchester, and Birmingham. The move is a dramatic escalation of the government's transport policy. A Minister familiar with the plans called it 'a necessary leap'.

But let's be clear. This is not about safety or congestion. This is about control. The game, as ever, is political. The Prime Minister, facing a backbench revolt over stalled automation legislation, needed a win. A big, visible win. No-Driver Zones are that win. They signal to tech giants that Britain is open for business. They signal to voters that the government is bold.

Yet the whispers in the Lobby are uneasy. Labour has already called it 'a war on the motorist'. The unions are mobilising. And inside the Cabinet, there is doubt. The Transport Secretary, I am told, argued for a pilot scheme. He was overruled. Number 10 wanted speed.

So what happens now? Autonomous pods will roam the streets. Human-driven cars will be fined £500 for entering the zones. The police are braced for protests. And in Westminster, the calculators are whirring. MPs in marginal constituencies are nervous. They know that every driver is a potential voter.

But the Prime Minister is playing a longer game. The polling data, which I have seen, shows that under-40s overwhelmingly support the zones. They are the future electorate. The older, car-dependent voters are a dying breed. Harsh but true.

For now, the story is developing. I am told that more cities will follow within weeks. The Department for Transport is tight-lipped. But my sources say the plan is to have nationwide coverage by the next election.

Buckle up. The autonomous city has arrived. And it is ruthless.