UK May Allow ‘Self-Driving’ Cars on Its Roads By The End of 2021

May, 2021 - By SMI

Basic self-driving cars equipped with automated lane-keeping system (ALKS) might arrive on the roads of the U.K.

Legalizing self-driving cars will permit trials of automated lane-keeping system, letting Britain to create its own self-driving regulations. This will benefit the U.K. in catching up with other countries such as the U.S. and Japan. The U.K.’s Department of Transportation (DfT) announced that they will explain how cars equipped with ALKS can be lawfully defined as self-driving, as long as “there is no evidence to challenge the vehicle’s capability to self-drive. On simple terms, they are creating rules, which will legally allow the ALKS systems on the Britain roads.

DfT’s traffic jam chauffeur technology is designed to aid a car stay in its lane and at a safer distance from all vehicles, with speed limit of 37 MPH. This permits the drivers to allow the car take over driving tasks, however one should be active enough to grab the control. This is totally different from the present advanced driver assistance systems that can be only used as aids and not reliable on the drivers.

A report presented by the DfT stated that 80% of drivers wish to use their smartphones while the car was on self-driving mode. It was also noticed that highly visually engaging activities such as using the smartphone had a high impact in both the situations, when drivers had to grab the wheel when requested and as soon as some sudden event caused them to move out of their lane. The announcement regarding allowing self-driving cars on the roads of the U.K. didn’t have any details, such as how the technology will be tested and by when it would be approved. ALKS systems are only suitable on a few of the premium cars, so the effect on roads will possibly be negligible to start with.