Driverless Cars Could Hit UK Roads by 2026, Says Transport Minister
Transport Minister of the United Kingdom, Mark Harper, expressed confidence that driverless cars could be on the roads of the country by 2026. The legal framework is expected to be established by the end of 2024, with some time allocated for the implementation of decisions, as reported by Reuters.
According to Harper, fully autonomous vehicles are currently not allowed on roads in the UK, but legislation on automated transport is under consideration in Parliament. "It's likely that by 2026, people will start seeing some elements of these cars that have full autonomous driving capability. This will happen gradually, with companies implementing them for use in specific locations," noted Mark Harper.
In the UK, there are opponents of this technology, emphasizing the potential for accidents based on the U.S. experience. They also refer to the California incident where regulators instructed General Motors' autonomous vehicle division, Cruise, to remove its cars from state roads after an October accident.
However, Mark Harper emphasized that everything he has seen regarding automated transportation and autonomous driving technologies is focused on ensuring safety for people.
Proposed legislative changes in the UK plan to hold manufacturers, rather than owners of driverless cars, legally responsible for any accidents. At the same time, the government of the country stated that the legislation will protect users and enhance safety.
In a related note, The Gaze reported that as of mid-December, Latvia sent 271 confiscated cars to Ukraine, seized from local drivers who were driving under the influence.
The country's legislation allows the government to transfer confiscated vehicles to the ownership of the Ukrainian government free of charge – corresponding amendments to the "Support for the Civil Population in Ukraine" law were unanimously approved by the Latvian parliament.
The first batch of promised Latvian confiscated cars arrived in Ukraine in March 2023, and the total number for the current year exceeded 270 cars. Currently, the Latvian government is preparing documents to transfer an additional 34 cars to Ukraine, totaling 161,880 euros.