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Driverless Cars Q&A

04/08/2016

It’s been a few weeks since the driverless cars consultation was published. Here are a few questions and answers which give a brief overview of the consultation and the process:

Which Government department is in charge of this?

Somewhat predictably, the Department for Transport is the main Government department tasked with pushing this project forward. However, there is an overlap with BIS - addressing the interaction among vehicles, infrastructure, and data to achieve these technologies’ significant economic and social benefits.

There is now a new DfT/BIS joint policy unit dealing with this distinct issue. It is called the CCAV – the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. The CCAV provides a single point of contact for industry and academia for CAV technologies and is coordinating and enhancing government activity in the sector. It is also articulating the "UK Offer" and scoping R&D competition requirements, among other priorities.

What is the CCAV’s approach to the enabling of driverless vehicles?

The CCAV are not proposing fundamental revisions at this stage – their stated goal is to “enable the safe use of these technologies in line with their capabilities”. They further state that “it will be a while before a fully driverless car will be available that can carry out a door-to-door journey”.

The CCAV are proceeding with a step-by-step approach, and regulating in waves of reform. This will enable them (and, indeed, the rest of us) to learn lessons from real-life experiences of driving increasingly automated vehicles. Those lessons can then be applied when considering further changes.

How is the consultation structured?

The proposals fit into three related but distinct categories:

  • Insurance: making amendments to primary legislation to ensure insurance products will be available for automated vehicles;

  • Regulation: clarifying provisions for the construction and use of near to market technologies (largely remote control parking) through changes to regulations; and

  • Highway Code: providing guidance for drivers about the safe and appropriate use of new ADAS technologies, as well as specific advice in the Highway Code about separation distances for vehicles driving as platoons.

How open or closed are the consultation questions?

The questions are generally of a closed nature following various proposals within the three categories, indicating the CCAV’s developed thinking on this subject.

When will it close?

The consultation closes on 9 September 2016.

Links

A link to the full consultation document can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536365/driverless-cars-proposals-for-adas-and_avts.pdf


The Keoghs Market Affairs Team will ensure that it stays close to developments on this subject as and when they arise. Howard Dean is particularly close to the work that is currently being undertaken by the ABI/Thatcham’s ADI (Autonomous Driving Insurance) group through his place on the ADIG legal subgroup. 

Keoghs is ready to share its copy of its consultation response with clients; if you would like a copy, please contact Howard or Samantha.

Samantha Ramen
Author

Samantha Ramen
Partner
Director of Market Affairs

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