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Government urged to ban remote-controlled vehicles from UK roads until it approves ‘robust rules’ for safe use
- Law Commission made recommendations in a new paper on remote vehicles
- Technology is already being used in controlled environments, such as warehouses and farms
- Potential future applications include the delivery of rental cars to customers
The government should ban remote-controlled vehicles that begin arriving from abroad until it has “robust rules” in place to ensure they are safe, a new review finds.
The Law Commission of England and Wales recommended in a newly published advisory document to ministers about regulating vehicles driven by individuals in remote locations.
The technology is already being deployed in controlled environments such as warehouses, on farms and heavy vehicles in mining, but potential future applications include the delivery of rental cars to customers on the road.
Remote driving of vehicles from abroad should be banned in the UK, a government-commissioned study has found
Remote driving technology allows a person to drive a vehicle from a remote location – and the system has seen rapid development in recent years.
The technology has several potential applications and could also be used in self-driving vehicle trials.
While most self-driving vehicle trials in the UK have a ‘safety driver’ inside the vehicle, there is growing interest in using remote driving technology to allow the safety driver to be outside the vehicle.
Security challenges addressed in the review paper include establishing reliable connectivity, driver situational awareness, a potential sense of “detachment” from the physical world, and cybersecurity – such as the threat of a terrorist taking control. about a vehicle.
In its advice, the committee concludes that distance driving on roads and public places should only be allowed if companies receive special permissions to do so.
It added that “difficulties in enforcement” mean distance driving from abroad should be banned “until appropriate international agreements are in place”.
There is currently no specific UK legal requirement for a driver to be in the vehicle they are driving.
The review also stated that a driver should be remotely responsible for their actions in the same way as someone behind the wheel of a vehicle, but that there should be no liability for errors beyond their control, such as connectivity issues.
The mining industry already uses remote-controlled heavy vehicles at several locations
Public Law Commissioner Nicholas Paines KC said: ‘Remote driving is an exciting technology, but before we see remote controlled cars on UK roads we need to address safety concerns through strong regulation.
Our opinion concludes that in the short term the government would be able to address some gaps in the law around remote driving using existing powers, while providing a path for companies to use the technology legally, provided that their systems are secure.
In the longer term, it could set up a full system of regulation of remote driving.
“Regulations must address other fundamental concerns about safety threats and liability in the event of an accident.
“Our advisory document provides a roadmap for how government can address these issues while encouraging businesses to innovate.”
We need to address safety issues through strict regulation
Nicholas Paines KC, Commissioner of Public Law
Transport Minister Jesse Norman said: ‘Remote driving is already being used successfully off-road in a variety of industries and has huge potential to bring new services and safety features to road vehicles.
“The government must ensure that safety comes first when using new technology, and the department will carefully consider the recommendations of the Law Commission.”