Self-driving vehicles: new safety ambition

Consultation seeking views on our proposed safety ambition for self-driving vehicles.

Following a review of the law relating to self-driving vehicles, we are creating a new legal and safety framework for these vehicles.

We have set out our proposals in Connected and Automated Mobility 2025: realising the benefits of self-driving vehicles in the UK.

We believe that self-driving vehicles should be held to the same high standard of behaviour as that expected of human drivers. Current law expects human drivers to be competent and careful. Self-driving vehicles should, therefore, be expected to achieve an equivalent level of safety to a competent and careful human driver. This is safer than the average human driver.

We are asking for your views on the approach that self-driving vehicles should be expected to achieve an equivalent level of safety to that of a competent and careful human driver.

Following this consultation, we will outline a final safety ambition that will provide the basis for more detailed safety requirements.