The government is looking at changing the law to allow self-driving vehicles on the road.
Currently, the driver must always stay in control – in a practical sense, that means they can’t let go of the steering wheel.
But that may change if the car is suitably equipped. But it won’t free the driver completely, they still have to be ready to take control if necessary.
There are also plans to allow self-parking in certain car parks.
Already there are some experimental self-driving vehicles on the roads. These could become more widespread, but proposed new regulations would mean there must always be someone in a control centre who can take control or is instantly available if a passenger wishes to talk to them.
The proposals are now open for consultation until February.
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