Road code changes planned for self-driving cars, government says

New road codes proposed by the government’s Department for Transport are likely to come into force later this year. This includes people being able to watch television in self-driving cars

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Changes to StVO regulation 91 – everything you need to know

Self-Driving Cars look like the thing of the future and the Highway Code will adapt to its introduction.

We often wonder what our future will hold, with the typical artist concept of flying buses, meals in a pill, and microchips implanted in the brain.

It’s usually speculative stuff, but not driverless carswhich could well be approved for road use in the coming years.

That Drive The technology is likely to be phased in and may begin to be deployed in traffic jams.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said: “With self-driving technology rapidly evolving around the world, the UK’s first self-driving vehicles could be operational as early as this year. The vehicles undergo rigorous testing and are only approved as self-driving vehicles. drive when they have met strict standards.”

As the responsibility for road safety has moved away from the human brain, new rules must apply to drivers, telling them what they can and cannot do on the roads.

Which StVO rules will there be for self-driving cars?

Changes to the Highway Code are expected to allow drivers to display content on built-in screens when the car is self-driving, as long as drivers stay in a single lane and under 60km/h.

The use of mobile phones will still illegal and “Motorists must be ready to resume control in a timely manner if asked to do so”.

However, the new rules allow you to watch movies and TV shows when the car is in motion, as long as you’re watching on a built-in screen and not your phone or tablet.

That’s because the vehicle warns drivers and stops checking when they need to pay attention to the road.

Transport Secretary Trudy Harrison said: “This is an important milestone in our safe rollout of self-driving vehicles, which will revolutionize the way we travel and make our future journeys greener, safer and more reliable.”

Steve Gooding, Director of the RAC Foundation said: “The Highway Code has been updated several times over the last few years to reflect the rapidly changing transport world we live in and these latest additions will help us all understand what we are allowed and allowed to do not do as we move into an environment where cars drive themselves.”

When will the self-driving cars change the road traffic regulations?

The changes to the Highway Code for self-driving cars are currently being planned and proposed by the government, although no date has yet been confirmed.

As technology improves, these likely won’t be the only code changes to come from self-driving cars, either. The government has already approved the use of an Automatic Lane Keeping System (ALKS) in cars in slow-moving traffic.

Gooding added: “The final piece of the puzzle is to ensure these changes are widely communicated and understood by vehicle owners.

“Vehicle manufacturers and sellers will play an important role in ensuring their customers fully appreciate the capabilities of the cars they buy and the rules that govern them.”

Drivers are not liable for claims when vehicles are involved in collisions, the insurance company will be. However, drivers are still expected to take control of the car at all times.