Automated Vehicles Act: Self-driving cars could be on roads by 2026

Home » News & Knowledge » Automated Vehicles Act: Self-driving cars could be on British Roads by 2026 as new law introduced

Self-driving vehicles could be on British roads by 2026 after the government’s Automated Vehicles (AV) Act became law last week.

Announced in the King’s Speech last year, the AV Act will enable advanced technology to safely drive vehicles on British roads, as long as they stick to several guidelines.

Automated Vehicles Act

The AV Act provides a legal framework for self-driving vehicles to be deployed on UK roads, such as highlighting what constitutes a ‘self-driving vehicle’ and who is liable if an accident occurs.

According to the government, road safety is at the heart of the legislation, with automated vehicles expected to improve road safety by reducing human error, which contributes to 88% of road collisions.

However, RAC head of policy Simon Williams highlighted how many drivers are not yet comfortable with the idea of autonomous vehicles.

Simon Williams said:

“This is a major step on the road to autonomous vehicles appearing on the UK’s roads. But there’s lots of work still to do, not least bringing drivers along on the journey.

“RAC research conducted last year showed 58% of drivers are scared by the idea of fully autonomous vehicles and just 15% think they’ll make the roads safer, so there needs to be a real culture change if we’re to see the public fully embrace them.

“There are also some very practical hurdles to overcome, such as how the cars of tomorrow will be able to successfully and safely navigate the UK’s complex web of streets – especially with so many potholes and faded road markings.”

The law will require self-driving vehicles to achieve a level of safety at least as high as careful and competent human drivers, as well as meeting rigorous safety checks before being allowed onto roads.

Therefore, it is hoped that future deaths and injuries from drunk driving, speeding, tiredness and inattention could be drastically reduced.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

“Britain stands at the threshold of an automotive revolution and this new law is a milestone moment for our self-driving industry, which has the potential to change the way we travel forever.

“While this doesn’t take away people’s ability to choose to drive themselves, our landmark legislation means self-driving vehicles can be rolled out on British roads as soon as 2026, in a real boost to both safety and our economy.”

The legislation will also protect drivers from responsibility in the event of accidents while vehicles are in self-driving mode, with the onus on software developers, automotive manufacturers and insurance providers.

Companies will have ongoing obligations to keep their vehicles safe and ensure that they continue to drive by British laws. Meanwhile, the vehicle approval system will be supported by a completely independent incident investigation function to ensure continuous improvement and safety regulation.

What is a self-driving vehicle?

The Government has defined a self-driving vehicle as:

‘One that has at least one self-driving feature, delivering sufficiently high levels of automation that it meets a legally defined threshold and is capable of safely driving itself with no human input. Such features could provide self-driving capability for all or part of a journey.’

Automated Vehicles Act: Self-driving cars could be on British Roads by 2026 as new law introduced

Self-driving vehicles could be on British roads by 2026 after the government’s Automated Vehicles (AV) Act became law last week.

What is a self-driving vehicle?

Further reading

WHAT TO DO NEXT