'Self-driving' cars to be allowed on UK roads this year

Autonomous vehicles allow the driver to have their hands off the steering wheel. Photo: Audi

Self-driving (autonomous) vehicles are set to be legal on UK roads by the end of the year, the British government has confirmed.

The UK’s Department for Transport said automated lane-keeping systems (ALKS) would be the first type of hands-free driving legalised.

The technology controls the position and speed of a car in a single lane and it will be limited to 37mph (60km/h)

But insurers have warned the government's definition of ALKS as "self-driving" is misleading.

The move to allow vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities to drive legally on British roads was confirmed by the UK’s Transport Minister, Rachel Maclean MP.

“This is a major step for the safe use of self-driving vehicles in the UK, making future journeys greener, easier and more reliable while also helping the nation to build back better,” said Ms Maclean.

“But we must ensure that this exciting new tech is deployed safely, which is why we are consulting on what the rules to enable this should look like.”

The current proposal, which could come into effect by the end of the year, strictly mandates cars with ALKS, working in conjunction with adaptive cruise control, could only be driven hands-free on Britain’s network of motorways and only then at speeds up to 60km/h. When traffic is backed up, in other words.

Vehicles with that functionality would roughly fall into the Level Three category.

There are five levels of autonomous driving, including where the car operates by itself. Photo: Supplied

MP Maclean did hint that the speed limit could be increased to 70mph (112km/h) at a future date.

Under the proposed legislation, the driver may take their hands off the steering wheel for prolonged periods and allow the ALKS and adaptive cruise control to take over the driving of the vehicle. However, drivers will need to remain alert, and be ready and able to take over control within 10 seconds when alerted by the system.

According to the Ministry of Transport, New Zealand adopted the International Standard J3016 as developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

The framework describes vehicles from SAE level zero (no automation) to SAE level 5 (full automation).

It is unlikely that level 4 vehicles will be operating on New Zealand public roads (outside of controlled trials) before 2025, and highly unlikely that level 5 vehicles will be operating before 2030.

There is a great deal of uncertainty around the deployment time in New Zealand, according to the Ministry of Transport; including commercial availability, business models, and safety issues of level 4 and 5 vehicles.

Manufacturers and technology companies alike are focused on safety as their primary concern, given that maintaining their reputation necessitates a cautious approach to avoid delivering products to market before they are ready, says the Ministry of Transport.