The UK Government's Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles has opened a public consultation to ask for views on the draft statement of safety principles for self-driving vehicles in Great Britain (GB).
These principles will be used to decide whether a self-driving vehicle can be authorised for use on public roads.
You can respond if you are:
- a member of the public
- a local authority
- an organisation or business
- someone with an interest in road safety or self-driving vehicle
The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 marks a pivotal step in shaping the regulatory framework for self-driving vehicle technology in GB. This legislation:
- establishes the legal foundation for the safe deployment and use of self-driving vehicles also known as automated vehicles (AVs) on public roads
- supports innovation while prioritising public safety, transparency and accountability
- builds on a 4 year AV review by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission (the Law Commissions)
The act introduces a comprehensive safety framework, which creates a whole life ‘in-use’ assurance system for AVs consisting of:
- type approval which evaluates whether the vehicle meets all technical safety, environmental and other performance standards
- an authorisation process that will ensure that the vehicle can drive safely and legally on our roads without a driver
- ongoing regulation with powers to monitor safety data and enforce compliance, as well as an independent investigation function
At the heart of this framework is the statement of safety principles (SoSP). This will set out the safety standard to which AVs will be expected to comply. See the following link for more details.