The UK to legalize self-driving cars this year

The UK will make autonomous driving partially legal in the spring. Even though it makes driving easier, watching a movie or playing games while driving is still not available.

A BBC report noted that the Department of Transportation would allow self-driving cars limited to a single lane with a speed limit of 60 km per hour.

The government said hands-free vehicles with ALKS would need to get a GB-type approval to be classified as autonomous vehicles. Drivers won’t need to observe the road or keep their hands on the wheel, but they should be alert. While that’s the official announcement, it’s best to keep your hands on the wheel at all times, even when engaged with ALKS.

In the event of a warning signal from the vehicle’s automated system, drivers should be able to take control within 10 seconds.

Last May, the UK started work on a 300km road to test autonomous vehicles in a public setting. The idea was to let a car go through different urban, suburban areas, rural roads, highways to test different scenarios.

Later in August, the government requested an industry consultation for vehicles with ALKS to form regulations. Now, the transportation department has set an initial set of rules.

Tesla’s autopilot – similar to ALKS

Tesla’s autopilot system is one of the best-known ALKS features in the industry. It is considered level two on the five specified levels of self-driving cars.

Level three cars will not need constant driver’s attention. However, this technology had seen several incidents when drivers did not pay sufficient attention to the road. 

In 2018, a Nottingham resident climbed into the passenger seat of his Tesla on the motorway. He was banned from driving after this incident.

Leaving a car in Autopilot mode caused a fatal crash for a driver in the US who was playing a video game before driving into a concrete barrier. 

A recent report criticized the marketing of the features of these vehicles as self-driving since it is misleading to customers.