The UK government has today [20 April 2022] confirmed planned changes to The Highway Code, which aim to ensure the first autonomous vehicles are introduced safely.
In response to a public consultation, the changes to the code look to explain clearly that while travelling in self-driving mode, motorists must be ready to resume control in a timely way if they are prompted to – such as when they approach motorway exits.
The plans also include a change to current regulation, allowing drivers to view content that is not related to driving on built-in display screens, while the self-driving vehicle is in control. It will, however, still be illegal to use mobile phones in autonomous mode, given the greater risk they pose in distracting drivers as shown in research.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The Highway Code has been updated a number of times in recent years to reflect the rapidly changing transport world we live in and these latest additions will help us all understand what we must and must not do as we move forward to an environment where cars drive themselves.
“The final part of the jigsaw is to ensure these amendments are widely communicated to, and understood by, vehicle owners. Vehicle manufacturers and sellers will have a vital role to play in ensuring their customers fully appreciate the capabilities of the cars they buy and the rules that govern them.”
With CAV technology developing across the globe, Britain’s first vehicles approved for self-driving could be ready for use later this year. Vehicles will undergo rigorous testing and only be approved as self-driving when they have met stringent standards, the Department for Transport (DfT) stressed.
The introduction of the technology is likely to begin with vehicles fitted with automated lane keeping systems (ALKS) travelling at slow speeds on motorways, such as in congested traffic. ALKS enables a vehicle to drive itself in a single lane, up to 37 mph, while maintaining the ability to return control easily and safely to the driver when required.
Furthermore, the government is continuing to develop a full legal framework for self-driving vehicles to enable the safer and greener movement of people and goods in the UK. The DfT will also work with industry, regulators and safety organisations to ensure drivers can access information, including online, to help them use the vehicles safely.
