The Automated Vehicles Bill: What It Is and Why It Matters
The Automated Vehicles Bill was intially announced in King Charles’ Parliamentary speech on November 7th 2023. This bill was thought to shape the future of driving in the UK and was one of twenty-one bills. He said that Ministers “will introduce new legal frameworks to support the safe and commercial development of emerging industries, such as self-driving vehicles.” This announcement followed a statement from the UK automotive sector, predicting that self-driving technology will significantly enhance efficiency and productivity. This technology includes self-driving cars, public transport (buses, shuttles), and logistic vehicles. The bill has the potential to reduce costs, injuries, and fatalities substantially.
A few months later, the Automated Vehicles Act became law on the 20th of May 2024. This new law puts the UK at the forefront of self-driving technology regulation. The industry has the potential to be a 42 billion pound industry and could create 38,000 skilled jobs by 2035.
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We will explore what the AV bill is, what it means the future of roads in the UK and how it will be implemented! This is a really exciting and seemingly futuristic step and it’s exciting that Great Britain is at the forefront of this advancement.
What is the Automated Vehicles (AV) Bill and why is it important?
As mentioned earlier, the Automated Vehicles Bill focuses on legislating the "commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles on UK roads”, specifically referring to self-driving cars. This bill is said to unlock a "transport revolution." Interestingly, in 2015 and 2016, the Government allocated a £66 million investment in the Commercialising Connected and Automated Mobility fund. This funding was used to develop prototype cars and logistics services to support the evolution of the UK self-driving vehicle supply chain and create safe rollouts across the country. The application of self-driving technologies is expected to bring about efficiencies in various sectors. It is estimated that the resulting productivity increases and cost savings could contribute £66 billion to the economy by 2040.
Safety is at the forefront of this bill. A common view (or misconception) of driverless cars is that they are dangerous. As stated in the National Accident Helpline, some dangers of self-driving cars include:
The autopilot system activates when it shouldn’t
Some driverless cars have crashed into lane dividers, street signs or crossing passengers
Risk of fire
The bill has set a rigorous safety framework for self-driving vehicles and intends to create new organisations solely responsible for self-driving.
What are the aims of the AV bill?
In the King’s speech, it was outlined that the bill would ensure the safe deployment of self-driving vehicles which would subsequently provide ‘confidence and attract investment to the UK motor industry.’ The bill is also said to do the following:
Set the threshold for self-driving vehicles in law,
Hold companies accountable once vehicles are on the roads,
Investigate and learn from any incidents that take place,
Digitalise Traffic Regulation Orders to create a central digital map of all roads,
Create new organisations for self-driving specifically,
Protect users from being unfairly held accountable,
Clamp down on misleading marketing of ‘self-driving’ vehicles.
Overall, the Bill has 100 clauses which are divided into seven parts and six schedules.
The act provides the most comprehensive legal framework of its kind globally, defining liability for AVs. This ensures that drivers are not held responsible for the vehicle's actions while in self-driving mode. For the first time, this responsibility can be assumed by corporations such as insurance providers, software developers, and automotive manufacturers.
Where does the Bill extend to?
The Bill applies to England, Wales, and Scotland. However, certain clauses do not extend to Scotland, such as clause (54.2), which establishes a new offence for causing danger to road users resulting in death or injury by an automated vehicle, and clause (93), which mandates local authorities to provide information to Traffic Regulation Orders.
What is the response from those in the industry?
Darren Rodwell, Transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, emphasises the potential of autonomous vehicles to significantly enhance people's quality of life, especially in areas with inadequate bus services. The new Bill's promotion of equal opportunities between towns and cities is seen to be positive, especially because it addresses the current disparities across the UK.
Rodwell also addresses other priorities, like regulating the approximately 750,000 private e-scooters currently on roads, some of which are used illegally, and proposing a ban on pavement parking.
In a similar vein, Axa’s UK and Ireland Chief Executive, Tara Foley, points out the various benefits of the bill, with a focus on road safety. She stresses the importance of a coordinated and collaborative approach across all levels of government and different sectors.
While there is overall support for the legislation within the industry, there is also a sense of caution regarding its implementation in the current market and practicality.
Are automated vehicles safe?
The safety focus of the new Automated Vehicle Bill raises the question: Are automated vehicles truly safe? Recent years have seen an increase in projects addressing the safety of autonomous vehicles. Trials demonstrate how self-driving vehicles can enhance the lives of millions of Brits by improving mobility and access to services, reducing isolation, and better connecting rural communities. The act expands vehicle use to millions who previously lacked access, significantly boosting transport accessibility nationwide.
The Driven Project
The Driven Project, launched in 2019 by Oxford-based AI technology company, Oxbotica, and funded by Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles with £8.6 million, conducted successful tests in Oxford and London.
Oxbotica CEO, Graeme Smith, highlighted the technology's success in using cameras and lasers to locate vehicles in various weather and lighting conditions, without relying on GPS.
The crucial takeaway from the Driven Project is that autonomous vehicles have the potential to enhance road safety, provided the right regulations are in place. Smith envisions a future where autonomous road vehicles transport passengers in urban and longer journeys, and these regulations seem more promising with the introduction of the AV bill.
ServCity Project
The ServCity Project was conducted by Nottingham University and focused on understanding pedestrians' natural responses to self-driving vehicles with different External Human-Machine Interfaces (eHMIs) - visual displays positioned on the front of the vehicle.
A car with a 'ghost driver' drove around campus with eHMIs on the front, displaying messages such as "I am giving way." The study involved 520 pedestrians interacting with the car, providing valuable insights into people's attitudes and behaviours in response to various eHMI displays and autonomous vehicles in general.
The study successfully demonstrated the importance of eHMIs in autonomous vehicles. Professor Gary Burnett concluded that external HMIs played a significant role in pedestrians' decisions to cross the road, indicating a potential future trend of external human-machine interfaces on the front of autonomous vehicles. Meaning we may expect to see external human-machine interfaces on the front of autonomous vehicles.
Does this have anything to do with electric cars?
The government has outlined a strategy to halt the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2035, aligning this goal with European regulations. The plan aims for 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans in Great Britain to be zero-emission by 2030, reaching 100% by 2035, known as the zero-emission vehicle mandate (ZEV). This establishes the UK with the most ambitious regulatory framework globally for transitioning to electric vehicles.
In the context of autonomous vehicles, opting for electric makes logical sense. Electric vehicles facilitate the seamless integration of advanced technologies necessary for developing the safest and most environmentally friendly autonomous vehicles.
While the King’s Speech emphasised the evolution of the autonomous vehicle industry, it inherently recognises the ongoing and future technological progress in the automotive sector. Electric vehicles are poised to dominate the market in the coming years.
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