Many manufacturers offer driving assistance systems, which has made it possible to increase the safety of these vehicles significantly. A technology that does not stop evolving, but that, unfortunately, is ahead of legislation that is not adapting to the new times. Now the United Kingdom has confirmed the start of work to develop a law that allows, in practice, the start-up of vehicles with self-piloted systems where the driver can release the steering wheel.
According to the ad copy, this technology is designed to allow drivers, for the first time, to delegate the task of driving to the vehicle. When activated, the system keeps the car within its lane, monitoring its movements for long periods without the driver having to do anything. The driver must be ready and able to regain driving control when instructed to do so by the vehicle.
One of the most controversial points is who will be responsible for the operation of the technology. The UK government wants to talk to the different sectors involved to identify what will happen if the time comes when there is an accident with the help system activated and to see if the driver or the system provider will be responsible. Something that can mean the difference between the rapid or slow expansion of this type of system, since, in practice, no manufacturer will inevitably choose to bear the responsibility in an accident.
But there is a fundamental question of safety on the road that should pave the way for the arrival of this new legislation that will allow cars capable of staying in their lane and maintaining distances with the vehicles that precede them, and even a top speed of 110 km/h, the highest on British motorways.
According to the UK Minister for Transport, “Driving assistive technologies such as lane-keeping system will change lives, make our journeys safer and more comfortable than ever before and help prevent some 47,000 serious accidents and will save 3,900 lives over the next decade. “
Legislation that they hope to have ready by 2021, coinciding with the arrival of new vehicles equipped with a level 3 of autonomy, which will be those that will be able to offer sufficient performance to allow the driver not to pay attention to the road, and will simply have to be correctly seated in your seat ready to take control if necessary.
Something that will mean changes in the legislation and the Highway Code, which they hope to have prepared by the end of this year when it will have to be reviewed by a group of experts who will be able to shape the first public code in Europe that includes autonomous cars within their parameters.