Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Urgently bring forward comprehensive legislation for a robust self-driving vehicle regulatory framework.
Recommendation
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
Government Response 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.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government accepts this recommendation. The Government agrees that the sector is a success and that our competitive advantage must be maintained. The Government thanks the Committee for recognising the Government’s part in this progress to date, and is delighted to be able to bring the Automated Vehicles Bill to the fourth Parliamentary session, as announced in the King’s Speech on 7 November 2023. The Automated Vehicles Bill implements the recommendations of the four-year review of regulation for self-driving vehicles carried out by the Law Commissions. It is intended to set the legal framework for the safe deployment of self-driving vehicles in Great Britain. The Bill includes three key provisions: • To ensure there is clear legal liability, giving drivers immunity from prosecution when a self-driving system is engaged as well as setting out responsibility for companies that develop and operate self-driving vehicles on our roads. • To create a comprehensive safety framework for self-driving vehicles including: • thresholds for authorisation of self-driving vehicles, • continuing safety requirements for self-driving vehicles, backed by including new sanctions and penalties if companies fail in their duty. • enabling new incident investigation processes designed to ensure safety lessons are fed back into the safety framework. • making road information available digitally in order to support the safe operation of self-driving vehicles. • To protect consumers by prohibiting misleading marketing. Only vehicles that meet the safety threshold can be marketed as self-driving. The Bill sets out a flexible framework that can be adapted to address new use cases, new business models and new technology development.