Driverless Cars and The Law
Discussion
From the latest edition of Local Transport Today.
Driving pleasure not included.
Towns and cities are being invited to bid to become testbeds for driverless vehicles as ministers seek to position the UK as a world leader in the technology. The £10m Government competition will see up to three towns and cities in the UK selected to host trials. Bids must be business-led but include a local authority partner.
The Government says projects could start next January and run for between 18 and 36 months. “Driverless cars will improve people’s lives and the way they travel, improve the world’s towns and cities, create opportunities for the UK automotive sector and related industries, and have a large impact on the way towns are designed and engineered,” says the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which is running the competition with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the DfT.
Only “UK-based” companies and research organisations can apply for the funding. The trials must consist of both passenger cars that can operate part of the time on roads without driver control and at least one other form of ground-based urban transportation (excluding light rail, heavy rail and guided rail systems) that can operate part of the time without driver control.
The TSB says the trials should focus not on technology but on “building a deep understanding of the impact of driverless vehicles on road users and wider society.” Other research aims include understanding the impact of driverless vehicles on congestion and gathering information for legislators and insurers. “We would anticipate that the testing of driverless cars with high automation would take place largely on existing roads and the vehicle would have to be capable of interacting with the existing infrastructure,” says the DfT. The deadline for applications is 01 October.
The DfT has just launched a review of current road regulations to ensure an “appropriate regime” for testing driverless cars. The review will cover two types of driverless technology:
• high automation – cars with a qualified driver who can take over control of the driverless car
• full automation – vehicles where there is no need for a driver
A call for evidence identifies some of the issues the review will consider. On driving laws it states: “Where the driver of a vehicle with high automation is seen with both hands off the steering wheel, it may be they should have a defence against the possibility of being accused of careless driving simply for that reason. However, if the vehicle is wandering across the road then they could be liable, and we would not expect such a person to be consuming food or operating a handheld mobile phone, as his prime role is monitoring the vehicle.”
The DfT 'Call for Evidence' asks for views on whether autonomous vehicles should be highlighted in some way to other road users. “Other road users may be surprised to encounter a car where the driver is not obviously ‘driving’ and therefore might not react to signals such as hand gestures,” it says. Options could include a “warning signal” on the car showing autonomous operation or a distinguishing sign (different number plate, sticker on windscreen, etc.) indicating the potential capability of autonomous operation.
On accident liability, the DfT says arrangements will be the same as those that already apply to technologies such as anti-lock braking systems and automatic cruise control. “It is anticipated that the regime of strict manufacturer liability would continue to apply.”
The DfT says devolution has made creating a UK-wide environment for autonomous vehicles more complex. “In a sense the Westminster Government can only guarantee to deliver a testing regime for England, although the strong intention and aspiration is to reach agreement UK-wide.”
The review will report at the end of the year. Submissions to the review are invited by 19 September.
Review of the legislative and regulatory framework for testing driverless cars: discussion document and call for evidence is available at the link below.
http://tinyurl.com/oup655b
If we're going to be a leader in this field, surely there's some catching up to do as there have already been live broadcasts from Google's driverless cars stateside.
The legal ramifications of strict liability extended to this degree seem to be treated summarily, but then IANAL.
Driving pleasure not included.
Towns and cities are being invited to bid to become testbeds for driverless vehicles as ministers seek to position the UK as a world leader in the technology. The £10m Government competition will see up to three towns and cities in the UK selected to host trials. Bids must be business-led but include a local authority partner.
The Government says projects could start next January and run for between 18 and 36 months. “Driverless cars will improve people’s lives and the way they travel, improve the world’s towns and cities, create opportunities for the UK automotive sector and related industries, and have a large impact on the way towns are designed and engineered,” says the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which is running the competition with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the DfT.
Only “UK-based” companies and research organisations can apply for the funding. The trials must consist of both passenger cars that can operate part of the time on roads without driver control and at least one other form of ground-based urban transportation (excluding light rail, heavy rail and guided rail systems) that can operate part of the time without driver control.
The TSB says the trials should focus not on technology but on “building a deep understanding of the impact of driverless vehicles on road users and wider society.” Other research aims include understanding the impact of driverless vehicles on congestion and gathering information for legislators and insurers. “We would anticipate that the testing of driverless cars with high automation would take place largely on existing roads and the vehicle would have to be capable of interacting with the existing infrastructure,” says the DfT. The deadline for applications is 01 October.
The DfT has just launched a review of current road regulations to ensure an “appropriate regime” for testing driverless cars. The review will cover two types of driverless technology:
• high automation – cars with a qualified driver who can take over control of the driverless car
• full automation – vehicles where there is no need for a driver
A call for evidence identifies some of the issues the review will consider. On driving laws it states: “Where the driver of a vehicle with high automation is seen with both hands off the steering wheel, it may be they should have a defence against the possibility of being accused of careless driving simply for that reason. However, if the vehicle is wandering across the road then they could be liable, and we would not expect such a person to be consuming food or operating a handheld mobile phone, as his prime role is monitoring the vehicle.”
The DfT 'Call for Evidence' asks for views on whether autonomous vehicles should be highlighted in some way to other road users. “Other road users may be surprised to encounter a car where the driver is not obviously ‘driving’ and therefore might not react to signals such as hand gestures,” it says. Options could include a “warning signal” on the car showing autonomous operation or a distinguishing sign (different number plate, sticker on windscreen, etc.) indicating the potential capability of autonomous operation.
On accident liability, the DfT says arrangements will be the same as those that already apply to technologies such as anti-lock braking systems and automatic cruise control. “It is anticipated that the regime of strict manufacturer liability would continue to apply.”
The DfT says devolution has made creating a UK-wide environment for autonomous vehicles more complex. “In a sense the Westminster Government can only guarantee to deliver a testing regime for England, although the strong intention and aspiration is to reach agreement UK-wide.”
The review will report at the end of the year. Submissions to the review are invited by 19 September.
Review of the legislative and regulatory framework for testing driverless cars: discussion document and call for evidence is available at the link below.
http://tinyurl.com/oup655b
If we're going to be a leader in this field, surely there's some catching up to do as there have already been live broadcasts from Google's driverless cars stateside.
The legal ramifications of strict liability extended to this degree seem to be treated summarily, but then IANAL.
otolith said:
There are a lot of drivers out there who I'd rather were passengers. We've an ageing population, these things have the potential to allow a lot of elderly folk to keep their mobility without being a risk or a nuisance on the road. It won't take long before these things are essentially "perfect" drivers - and for those of us who retain manual cars, they will at least be consistent, predictable and not prone to irrational human behaviour. They're not going to floor it when you overtake, or move into your path, or tailgate you, or make risky decisions.
Possibly so, or as close to that combination as may be feasible, but for now it's the unpredictability of their environment that's causing consternation with the Google cars. On one live broadcast the designated non-driver/driver of the high automation (but not full automation) vehicle had to intervene because of the irrational and unpredictable behaviour of pedestrians. Mr Taxpayer said:
Einion Yrth said:
Mr Taxpayer said:
Who says you're getting windows? Why not have a large HD TV screen and a HD camera outside? You can play GTA/Call of Duty on your way to work or the shops and just select the outside feed if you want to spot totty on the pavement.
I suspect that that would result in appalling motion sickness.They're not that NIPpy...
The idea of allowing a driverless car to exceed speed limits for safety reasons doesn't sit well with the camera partnership messages on speeding, and as it's an absolute offence in the UK then surely the law would need to be changed to introduce another exemption.
The idea of allowing a driverless car to exceed speed limits for safety reasons doesn't sit well with the camera partnership messages on speeding, and as it's an absolute offence in the UK then surely the law would need to be changed to introduce another exemption.
speedking31 said:
98elise said:
If self driving cars were common then I would see no need for a daily drive. Why limit yourself to one car when you just book the car you need via your phone. It pulls up when you need it, then buggers off somewhere else when you don't. No maintenance, cleaning, garage space etc. More room and money for a fun car, perfect.
But you're paying someone else to do the maintenance, cleaning, garaging, delivery mileage, etc. which is always going to be more expensive than doing it yourself.The potential saving is in the vehicle being used during the day when you just have it in a car park. That is offset by the inconvenience of having to wait every time you want to go anywhere.
Would be weird going to work in a brand new car and coming home in one that had covered 200,000 miles!
Mr Taxpayer said:
turbobloke said:
speedking31 said:
98elise said:
If self driving cars were common then I would see no need for a daily drive. Why limit yourself to one car when you just book the car you need via your phone. It pulls up when you need it, then buggers off somewhere else when you don't. No maintenance, cleaning, garage space etc. More room and money for a fun car, perfect.
But you're paying someone else to do the maintenance, cleaning, garaging, delivery mileage, etc. which is always going to be more expensive than doing it yourself.The potential saving is in the vehicle being used during the day when you just have it in a car park. That is offset by the inconvenience of having to wait every time you want to go anywhere.
Would be weird going to work in a brand new car and coming home in one that had covered 200,000 miles!
Ellaway said:
This has been explained away by saying that car owners come from a higher social class and have bigger incomes, which are connected to better health. [But] after eliminating the effects of age, social class and income, we found drivers to have better general health and less depression than people who used public transport.
Mr Taxpayer said:
What about the health effects of being relieved of the stress of the daily commute and/or school run, which is the main factor in most peoples choice of automobile?
Those events may well be stressful but if it's generally taking place in a car as opposed to public transport then it's already covered in the above research. speedyguy said:
Bit of a showtrial on next month
http://highwaysmagazine.co.uk/see-self-driving-car...
According to that article they seem to have Gov approval to be on the roads in 3 months time, I'd be more worried about the poor state of white lining they are supposed to follow.
It's quite right to point out the obvious, tptb might just get the message!http://highwaysmagazine.co.uk/see-self-driving-car...
According to that article they seem to have Gov approval to be on the roads in 3 months time, I'd be more worried about the poor state of white lining they are supposed to follow.
In the article George Lee as national director of the RSMA said:
There is a lot of excitement about the potential for self driving cars; however, concerns persist that current infrastructure failings are potentially a limiting factor to implementation across the entire road network
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