The jump from human driving to autonomous driving, through artificial intelligence, implies the need to adapt the legislation, among other legal changes. In the UK they see autonomous driving as possible in 2025 and are laying the groundwork for it.
In recent months, the Government of United Kingdom has been making moves so that the country becomes one of the most advanced in Europe in terms of autonomous driving. Currently there are very few places in the world where a vehicle can move without a human driver, and always subject to various conditions.
In the United Kingdom, legal changes will begin to be made as soon as parliamentary time permits. It must be remembered that the resignation of the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the political division generated by his controversial personal figure, have affected these parliamentary times.
For now, the government has committed 100 million pounds to support industry investment and fund research into new security developments. They consider that there is a potential of 42,000 million pounds of turnover and 38,000 jobs thanks to autonomous driving.
From next year, autonomous vehicles will be able to circulate on the expressways of the United Kingdom
The plan unveiled yesterday lays the groundwork for allow the deployment of autonomous vehicles in the UK by 2025promote a revolution in the transport of people and goods, improve the connection between dispersed communities and of course, make Road Safety take a leap forward.
Of the 100 million pounds promised, 117.8 million euros in exchange, more than a third (34 million pounds) is earmarked for research to support security developments and contribute to more detailed legislation. The existing legislation needs to cover some gaps (loopholes) under the new paradigm.
For example, what happens when there are adverse weather conditions? Should autonomous vehicles be subject to limitations? How will they interact with pedestrians, other vehicles and bicyclists? In this regard, some manufacturers imagine a code of easily recognizable symbols and sounds that autonomous vehicles emit.
In the center of San Francisco, 100% autonomous Cruise robotaxis have been operating since June, although they can only circulate at night and at low speed
In addition, £20m is earmarked to kick-start commercial autonomous driving services and enable businesses to grow and create jobs in the UK, on top of £40m already committed earlier.
What business services are involved? They give the example of food or shopping deliveries delivered to customers by autonomous vehicles, or transport capsules (pods) that help passengers when moving through airports, such as those with reduced mobility. They also imagine transport services from A to B, with or without connection to public transport.
In addition, £6m will be used to carry out further market research and support the commercialization of autonomous driving. All of this would be very beneficial in a country that has lost access to cheap and abundant labor that was available in the European Union. Anyway, with or without «Brexit», some shortage of low-skilled workers was taken for granted.
The responsibility for what happens in autonomous mode will not lie with the driver, as Volvo or Mercedes-Benz assumed in advance
In a first step, vehicles that can drive themselves on expressways will be authorized to drive from next year, which sounds like Level 3 autonomous driving. Drivers will be able to stop paying attention to the road and dedicate themselves to other activities, except handling the mobile phone with their hands.
At a later stage, since there will be fully autonomous vehicles, vehicle owners won’t even need a driver’s license, and this requires that they be 100% autonomous vehicles (Level 5). This will be one of the triggers for reducing the accident rate, by eliminating the human factor from the equation.
Brands such as Mercedes-Benz will be able to activate systems such as DRIVE PILOT for semi-autonomous driving in limited highway conditions, such as heavy traffic and up to 60 km/h, as is already the case in Germany. Vehicles that are in autonomous mode free drivers from responsibility for what happens, It will be the manufacturers who bear the consequences..