The UK government has confirmed that it will introduce legislation to regulate self-driving vehicles, following recommendations from the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission. The Automated Vehicles Bill, which contains 100 clauses, will establish a new regulatory scheme for autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the UK. Key provisions of the Bill include:
- AVs must be authorised as self-driving before they can be used on British roads.
- AVs must be capable of travelling safely and legally.
- An authorised self-driving entity (ASDE) will be legally liable for the vehicle while it is driving itself.
- A new offence will be created for using an AV without a user-in-charge (UiC) or a licensed no user-in-charge (NUIC) operator.
- Permits will be granted for automated passenger service vehicles.
- Insurance companies will have access to vehicle-generated data to assess claims.
The Bill will undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords in January before proceeding through the legislative process.