The U.K. government recently announced that it will regulate the use of self-driving vehicles on highways at low speeds, with the first of such vehicles hitting the public roads by the end of this year.

In slow-moving traffic, drivers may soon be able to read a newspaper or watch a movie on the car's built-in screen, thanks to the automatic lane-keeping system (Alks) technology that keeps the car in its lane and at a safe distance from other cars, sources cited.

The Department of Transportation (DfT) said it would follow plans to enable the latest models equipped with Alks to drive without the driver's involvement, in line with the insurers and motoring organizations' view of the technology requiring more work to ensure safety.

The government stated that Alks can run on highways at speeds of less than 37 miles per hour (60 km/h). As per DfT, the technology, which will continuously track speed and distance from other vehicles, can increase road safety by minimizing human error.

According to UN regulation, the system is for use on highways where traffic flows in the same direction with no cyclists or pedestrians. It must return control to the driver when necessary, such as in circumstances where a traffic jam clears and traffic speeds up, with a transition time of about 10 seconds.

A new consultation on the Highway Code will aid in determining what guidelines are required to assure Alks’ safe usage.

Rachel Maclean, Transport Minister, reportedly said that it was a significant step for the safe use of self-driving vehicles in the UK, making future journeys easier, greener, and more reliable.

Meanwhile, insurers cautioned that the government was sowing seeds of doubts about the cars' capabilities by referring to models equipped with Alks as self-driving even though the technology still requires a driver to be ready to take command.

The transport ministry estimates that by 2035, about 40% of new UK vehicles will have self-driving capabilities, subsequently creating up to 38,000 new skilled jobs in the country.

Source Credit –

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/28/self-driving-cars-could-get-green-light-for-use-on-uk-motorways-this-year