Users of self-driving cars will be able to watch movies on the highway with planned changes to the Road Code, although the use of mobile phones will remain illegal.
The update, proposed by the Ministry of Transport (DfT), will allow people in the driver’s seat to use the car’s built-in screens to watch movies and TV shows.
The new rules also state that insurance companies will be financially responsible, not individual drivers for accidents in self-driving cars.
However, people behind the wheel must be prepared to regain control of the vehicle when prompted – for example, when approaching motorway exits. These measures were described as a temporary measure by the government to support the early deployment of self-driving vehicles.
Although there are currently no approved vehicles for self-driving on the roads in the United Kingdom, the first can be approved later this year. The introduction of the technology is likely to start with vehicles traveling at low speeds on highways, such as in traffic jams.
In April 2021, DfT announced that it would allow hands-free driving in vehicles with lane-keeping technology. Existing technologies, including cruise control and automatic stop / start, are classified as “assistive”, which means that consumers must remain in complete control.
Trudy Harrison, the transport minister, said the updates were the result of a public consultation and would be a “cornerstone in our safe introduction of self-driving vehicles”, which would “revolutionize the way we travel”.
She added: “This exciting technology is evolving rapidly right here in the UK and we ensure that we have a strong foundation for drivers when they take our roads.
“In this way, we can help improve travel for all, while stimulating economic growth across the nation and securing Britain’s place as a global scientific superpower.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation’s Promotion Brain Trust, said: “The Highway Code has been updated several times in recent years to reflect the rapidly changing transport world we live in, and these latest additions will help us understand what we also need to do what we should not do as we move forward to an environment where cars drive alone.
“The last part of the puzzle is to ensure that these changes are widely communicated and understood by vehicle owners. Vehicle manufacturers and sellers will have a vital role to play in ensuring that their customers fully appreciate the capabilities of the cars they buy and the rules that govern them.
Earlier this year, the Legal Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission published a joint report recommending the introduction of a new Automated Vehicles Act.
The suggestions for the act would be that when the car is allowed to “self-drive” and these functions are used, the user will no longer be responsible for how the car moves, but rather the company that received the permission, yes. Therefore, the consumer will not be able to be prosecuted for offenses that come directly from driving, and will thus be immune to offenses that involve dangerous driving.
The governments of the United Kingdom, Scotland and Wales are deciding whether to adopt the report’s recommendations and transpose them, with governments expecting to have a full regulatory framework to support the widespread deployment of driverless technology by 2025.
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