Recommendations & Conclusions
11 items
1
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted
There is a broad range of possible uses for self-driving vehicles, and we believe they have the potential to improve transport connectivity with significant safety, productivity, and mobility benefits. However, over the last decade, progress in this technology has failed to meet many of its promoters’ predictions, and this has …
Read more
There is a broad range of possible uses for self-driving vehicles, and we believe they have the potential to improve transport connectivity with significant safety, productivity, and mobility benefits. However, over the last decade, progress in this technology has failed to meet many of its promoters’ predictions, and this has bred understandable cynicism.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government accepts the premise and outlines how its existing CAM 2025 white paper, Automated Vehicles Bill, and CAVPASS safety programme already address the potential benefits and gradual uptake of self-driving vehicles, including considerations for disabled persons and public acceptance.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
2
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Rejected
Hopefully expectations of self-driving vehicle technology have become more realistic. Self-driving vehicles that can go anywhere at any time remain purely hypothetical, but in more circumscribed forms they can become reality. Nobody is likely to be taking a self-driving vehicle the whole way from Land’s End to John o’ Groats …
Read more
Hopefully expectations of self-driving vehicle technology have become more realistic. Self-driving vehicles that can go anywhere at any time remain purely hypothetical, but in more circumscribed forms they can become reality. Nobody is likely to be taking a self-driving vehicle the whole way from Land’s End to John o’ Groats anytime soon, if ever, but self-driving bus services may become commonplace sooner rather than later.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government does not accept the Committee's view on the proposed safety ambition, stating that setting it too high could stifle innovation and that a level equivalent to a competent and careful human driver is currently appropriate. It highlights the Automated Vehicles Bill and the …
Read full response →
Department for Transport
3
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted
In principle we welcome the introduction of self-driving vehicles, but the Government must take a cautious, gradual approach with the technology introduced only in well- defined and appropriate contexts. As such, we broadly welcome the strategy the Government has set out. However, without careful handling, self-driving vehicles could worsen congestion …
Read more
In principle we welcome the introduction of self-driving vehicles, but the Government must take a cautious, gradual approach with the technology introduced only in well- defined and appropriate contexts. As such, we broadly welcome the strategy the Government has set out. However, without careful handling, self-driving vehicles could worsen congestion and exacerbate existing inequalities in transport access. The Government must ensure the introduction of self-driving vehicles is responsive to the wider population and meets the UK’s transport goals. (Paragraph 35) How safe are self-driving vehicles?
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts, outlining existing definitions of self-driving vehicles and regulations for safe handovers from systems to drivers. It notes ongoing work through the CAVPASS program to consider driver education and licensing, alongside updates to The Highway Code and a communication toolkit.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
4
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted
While it is widely assumed that self-driving vehicles will prove safer than human drivers, this is not a given. Optimistic predictions are often based on widespread self- driving vehicle usage that is decades away, or assertions about human error that ignore other risks. Safety must remain the Government’s overriding priority …
Read more
While it is widely assumed that self-driving vehicles will prove safer than human drivers, this is not a given. Optimistic predictions are often based on widespread self- driving vehicle usage that is decades away, or assertions about human error that ignore other risks. Safety must remain the Government’s overriding priority as self-driving vehicles encounter real-world complexity. Given this, we question the Government’s proposed ambition that self-driving vehicles must be as safe as a competent and careful human driver. This is too weak and too vague. The Government should set a clearer, more stretching threshold.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government noted the recommendation and outlined how the forthcoming Automated Vehicles Bill will provide a legal liability framework and detailed safety requirements, with specific requirements to be set in secondary legislation and developed through the CAVPASS programme, without committing to changing its proposed safety …
Read full response →
Department for Transport
5
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Deferred
Greater automation will reduce time spent driving. Over time drivers may become less practised and therefore less skilled. Conversely, the demands on drivers will grow as they will be called upon to retake control of vehicles in challenging circumstances with little notice. The Government should set out a strategy for …
Read more
Greater automation will reduce time spent driving. Over time drivers may become less practised and therefore less skilled. Conversely, the demands on drivers will grow as they will be called upon to retake control of vehicles in challenging circumstances with little notice. The Government should set out a strategy for the future of human driving in a world of self-driving vehicles. This should include possible changes to driving tests and a plan to ensure that all drivers fully understand self-driving vehicles and both acquire and maintain the necessary skills for taking control of a vehicle in all circumstances.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts, but then deflects the recommendation regarding a strategy for human driving skills and testing to focus instead on plans for digitising Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) via the Automated Vehicles Bill and the National Highways Digital Roads programme to support self-driving infrastructure.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
6
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted
The introduction of self-driving vehicles to the UK’s roads will affect all road users. We believe that this should not impose new responsibilities on other road users and pedestrians, limit their access to, or use of, public infrastructure or, crucially, make them less safe. (Paragraph 64) 36 Self-driving vehicles What …
Read more
The introduction of self-driving vehicles to the UK’s roads will affect all road users. We believe that this should not impose new responsibilities on other road users and pedestrians, limit their access to, or use of, public infrastructure or, crucially, make them less safe. (Paragraph 64) 36 Self-driving vehicles What other risks do self-driving vehicles pose?
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government accepts this recommendation and highlights the Automated Vehicles Bill, which will establish clear legal liability for companies, create a comprehensive safety framework with ongoing requirements and sanctions, enable new incident investigation processes, and protect consumers from misleading marketing.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
7
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted
Connected vehicles pose new dangers, which the law must evolve to meet. A safety- led culture will require wide access to data, and this must be a higher priority than commercial confidentiality. Ensuring self-driving vehicles are roadworthy will be more complicated than for conventional vehicles, not least because there is …
Read more
Connected vehicles pose new dangers, which the law must evolve to meet. A safety- led culture will require wide access to data, and this must be a higher priority than commercial confidentiality. Ensuring self-driving vehicles are roadworthy will be more complicated than for conventional vehicles, not least because there is more that can go wrong. Legal liability also becomes more complex as it is shared between owner and operator. The Government explained broadly how its new regulatory regime will work but accepted that more thinking was needed about how this will work in practice.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government notes the committee's conclusions and is addressing the challenges through the recently announced Automated Vehicles Bill, which clarifies legal liability and provides a framework for detailed safety and data sharing requirements. Specific requirements will be set out in secondary legislation and developed within …
Read full response →
Department for Transport
8
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted
The Government has put good structures in place, but it is not enough just to participate in or facilitate conversations about unresolved policy issues, including access to data, verifying roadworthiness, legal liability and insurance implications. If self-driving vehicles are to be deployed on our roads by 2025, safely and successfully, …
Read more
The Government has put good structures in place, but it is not enough just to participate in or facilitate conversations about unresolved policy issues, including access to data, verifying roadworthiness, legal liability and insurance implications. If self-driving vehicles are to be deployed on our roads by 2025, safely and successfully, the Government must take the lead to resolve these issues. (Paragraph 80) What infrastructure will be needed?
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government notes the recommendation and outlines how the recently announced Automated Vehicles Bill and ongoing work, including international discussions and collaboration with the insurance industry, are already addressing policy issues such as legal liability, safety requirements, and data sharing for self-driving vehicles.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
9
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted in Part
Self-driving vehicles will need well-maintained roads and signage, nationwide connectivity, and up-to-date digital information about the road network. While some steps have been taken towards this by the Government and public bodies, these preparations are too siloed and divorced from broader planning. If the Government is serious about self-driving vehicles, …
Read more
Self-driving vehicles will need well-maintained roads and signage, nationwide connectivity, and up-to-date digital information about the road network. While some steps have been taken towards this by the Government and public bodies, these preparations are too siloed and divorced from broader planning. If the Government is serious about self-driving vehicles, it should ensure meeting their needs is an integral part of future infrastructure strategy. (Paragraph 89) What legal changes are needed?
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation, citing provisions in the Automated Vehicles Bill for digitising Traffic Regulation Orders as a step to support self-driving vehicles. It also commits to developing future guidance for road authorities on investing in traffic control systems and notes that work …
Read full response →
Department for Transport
10
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted
The current laws for self-driving vehicles are archaic and limiting, especially concerning testing and legal liability. We commend the work of the Law Commissions and the Government in devising a new legal framework. That framework has broad support, albeit with more detail needed in some areas. This makes it deeply …
Read more
The current laws for self-driving vehicles are archaic and limiting, especially concerning testing and legal liability. We commend the work of the Law Commissions and the Government in devising a new legal framework. That framework has broad support, albeit with more detail needed in some areas. This makes it deeply disappointing that the Government will not commit to legislating in this Parliament to put this framework in place.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating it is delighted to bring the Automated Vehicles Bill to the fourth Parliamentary session, as announced in the King's Speech on 7 November 2023, to establish a legal framework for self-driving vehicles.
Read full response →
Department for Transport
11
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Self-driving vehicles
Accepted
The self-driving vehicle sector is a British success story. We were impressed, unfailingly so, by the energy, creativity, and expertise of all those we met, whether from industry, academia, Government or somewhere in between. We have a competitive advantage, and we must maintain it. To do this the Government must …
Read more
The self-driving vehicle sector is a British success story. We were impressed, unfailingly so, by the energy, creativity, and expertise of all those we met, whether from industry, academia, Government or somewhere in between. We have a competitive advantage, and we must maintain it. To do this the Government must bring forward and pass comprehensive legislation in the next parliamentary session to put in place the robust regulatory framework it promised. Failing to do so will do significant and lasting damage both to the UK’s self-driving vehicle industry and to this country’s reputation as a trailblazer. We recommend that legislation be brought forward as a matter of urgency, with an expectation that any legislation will have to be regularly reviewed and updated subsequently as technology evolves. (Paragraph 103) Self-driving vehicles 37
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation, confirming it will bring the Automated Vehicles Bill to the fourth Parliamentary session, as announced in the King's Speech on 7 November 2023, to establish a comprehensive safety and regulatory framework for self-driving vehicles.
Read full response →
Department for Transport