Self-driving cars could be on British roads in three years, says Transport Secretary Mark Harper. The British Parliament has yet to consider legalizing self-driving cars, but according to the minister, the laws surrounding this technology should be finalized by the end of next year.
Last month it was announced that the United Kingdom is introducing legislation to regulate, among other things, legal liability for accidents involving cars that are not driven by a human. The British government wants to make automakers legally liable if an accident occurs with a self-driving car. This should ensure that the industry makes vehicles safer and protects vehicle users.
The safety of self-driving vehicles is not necessarily guaranteed. For example, a so-called robotaxi hit a pedestrian in the American city of San Francisco in October. This happened with a vehicle from the company Cruise, which specializes in self-driving cars, from car manufacturer General Motors. After the accident, Cruise took hundreds of robotaxis off the road in several major cities in the United States. Research is currently underway into the safety of these vehicles.
However, Transport Minister Harper says the technology has the potential to improve road safety. “Everything I’ve seen about automated vehicles and self-driving technologies is very focused on keeping people safe.”
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl