Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to enable the use of fully autonomous vehicles and what are their plans for their regulation.

His Majesty’s Government is committed to strengthening the UK’s reputation as a global leader in self-driving vehicle technology.

The Automated Vehicles (AV) Act 2024 delivers one of the most comprehensive legal frameworks of its kind anywhere in the world, with safety at its core. It sets out clear legal responsibilities, so businesses know where they stand, establishes a safety framework and creates the necessary regulatory powers. The Automated Vehicles Act Implementation programme aims to deliver the regulatory framework in the second half of 2027.

The introduction of automated passenger services regulations has been accelerated, subject to the outcome of a consultation later this summer. It will help facilitate commercial pilots of services with paying passengers and no safety driver to be deployed from spring 2026. These pilots will drive innovation, attract investment, and help shape the final regime.

In June, we launched a consultation and accompanying draft statutory instrument on protecting marketing terms for automated vehicles. This consultation aims to identify the words, expressions, symbols or marks that should only be used to describe authorised AVs to avoid consumer confusion.

June also saw the publication of a call for evidence on the Statement of Safety Principles, which will consider the safety outcomes that should be sought through the introduction of self-driving vehicles.

Further consultations will be taking place on the AV Act’s regulatory framework between now and 2027. This phased approach balances strong safeguards with the opportunity to realise the significant economic and societal benefits of this emerging technology.