With self-driving vehicles set to be on the roads by 2026 the legislation is expected to help improve road safety by reducing human error, which contributes to 88% of road collisions.
A vehicle will satisfy the self-driving test if:
a) It is designed or adapted with the intention that a feature of the vehicle will allow it to travel autonomously, and
b) It is capable of doing so, by means of that feature, safely and legally.
Self-driving vehicles will need to achieve the same level of safety as a careful and competent human driver in addition to meeting rigorous safety checks before they will be allowed onto the roads. The hope is that this will lead to fewer casualties on the road as accidents caused by drink driving, speeding and inattention will be reduced.
In order to ensure safety, users-in-charge must be fully trained and sober so that they can resume control of the vehicle if required, even in fully automated mode.
The vehicles will also be subject to approval by an independent incident investigatory function. Companies will have ongoing obligations to ensure that the vehicles are safe and comply with current legislation.
Future of Automated Vehicles
Trials are already taking place across England with the UK’s leading companies on autonomous vehicle software, Wayve and Oxa, starting trials in London and Oxford.
Wayve states that their technology equips vehicles with a ‘robot brain’ that can learn from and interact with real-world environments. They also claim that their AI technology has superior capabilities which allow it to apply ‘learned’ driving skills to unexpected scenarios, even without prior exposure.
Alex Kendall, Co-Founder and CEO of Wayve, said:
“Self-driving technology promises a safer, smarter and more sustainable future of transport. There’s still some way to go with secondary legislation before we can reap the full benefits of self-driving vehicles in the UK, but we are confident the government will prioritise these next steps so this technology can be deployed as soon as possible.”
Concerns of Automated Vehicles on UK Roads
There are concerns that drivers could become too reliant upon the AI technology which could put road users in dangerous situations. It is currently unknown the impact automated vehicles will have on our roads but it will be important for legislation to keep pace with the risks they pose to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of road users.
Road Traffic Accident Claims
If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a road traffic accident, Timms are here to help. If you require expert advice from our experienced Personal Injury team, please call us on 01332 364436 or email us at legal@timms-law.com.
