UK passes Automated Vehicles Act, paving way for self-driving vehicles by 2026
By Bradley Osborne - 10th June 2024
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UK – The UK government has passed a law which could see self-driving vehicles on British roads as early as 2026, laying out a legal framework for safely incorporating autonomous driving in the country’s transport system.
In a press release, the Department for Transport (DfT) stated that the ‘Automated Vehicles Act’ (passed on 20 May) will require self-driving vehicles to achieve a safety level “as high as careful and competent drivers” before being allowed onto public roads. The act stipulates, among other things, that the driver will not be held responsible for how a vehicle behaves while it is in self-driving mode. Responsibility will be assumed instead by the automotive manufacturer, software developer, and/or insurance provider.
