MPs warn of sluggish UK self-drive car progress

author: FutureCar Staff    

MPs have warned that the UK is at risk of losing its lead in self-drive car technology and know-how due to the Government's failure to introduce updated laws. The current laws are considered "archaic and limiting," which restricts testing and rules regarding legal liability. To maintain its competitive advantage, the UK needs to introduce a new Bill in November's King's Speech to update the law. The proposed legislation should cover vehicle approval, accident liability, cybersecurity, and personal data use, according to a parliamentary Transport Select Committee report. Failure to do so will result in significant and lasting damage to the UK's self-driving vehicle industry and its reputation as a trailblazer.

In April, the UK became the first European country to allow drivers to take their hands off car steering wheels on public roads. However, fully self-drive cars are still banned. MPs caution that the assumption that self-drive cars are safer than human drivers is not guaranteed. They believe that widespread use of self-drive cars on UK roads could be "decades away" due to the real-world complexity they face. Safety should remain the Government's top priority as self-drive vehicles confront these challenges.

The report questions the Government's proposed "safety ambition" for self-driving vehicles, stating that it is "too weak and too vague." The report suggests that ministers need to set a clearer and more ambitious threshold for safety. Additionally, the UK needs a plan for the future of human driving in a world of self-drive vehicles. This plan should consider possible changes to driving tests and ensure that all drivers fully understand self-drive technology.

The report also highlights potential issues with the application of self-drive technology to buses and other public transport. While it may offer benefits, such as increased accessibility, it could also worsen congestion and exacerbate existing inequalities in access to transport. Self-driving taxis, for example, may not be able to provide the same level of assistance to disabled people as human-driven ones.

Iain Stewart, the chair of the Transport Committee, emphasizes the importance of following through with a Transport Bill to protect the UK's competitive advantage in self-drive technology. He states that self-driving vehicles are a great British success story in the making.

However, the widespread adoption of self-drive vehicles faces various hurdles, including public confidence in their safety, security, and potential impacts on other road users. To meet the Government's ambitions for self-driving vehicle deployment, these challenges need to be addressed.

A spokesperson from the Department for Transport (DfT) acknowledges the potential of self-driving vehicles to make road journeys safer. The Government is committed to prioritizing safety and ensuring that self-driving vehicles are secure, reliable, and regulated. Since 2015, the Government and industry have jointly invested £600m, including recent funding of £34m from the Department of Transport, to develop self-driving vehicles that meet these criteria.

FutureCar Staff