Key Facts

• Amendments 19 and 20 seek to change “an acceptably safe standard” to a “high standard of safety”.
• The amendments aim to minimise risks by setting clearer safety standards in primary legislation.
• Previous government response was that such phrases are open to interpretation, implying court involvement.
• Eighty-eight per cent of collisions involve some form of human error.
• The Bill introduces a self-driving test threshold for safety and legal operation.
• Detailed consultation with road users, road safety groups, and the industry will set specific standards.
• Anthony Browne supports high safety standards but warns against misinterpretations.
• The legislation follows three years of work by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission.
• The term 'acceptable' refers to a level of safety that is both government-approved and satisfactory for the public.
• The Bill aims to establish a self-driving test and classify vehicles that meet the test as autonomous.
• Clause 1 requires that a vehicle travel autonomously safely and legally, but these terms are not defined in statute.
• Amendments 19 and 20 aim to strengthen safety standards by proposing changes to the wording of 'safety' and 'risk'.
• Amendments aim to strengthen safety principles for autonomous vehicles.
• Amendment 18 requires the Government to publish a definition of 'careful and competent human drivers'.
• The amendments are supported by Cycling UK, Road Safety Foundation, and SMMT.
• The statement of safety principles must be developed following the passage of the Bill.
• The safety ambition requires self-driving vehicles to achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or higher than, that of careful and competent human drivers.
• Australia's AV trials were hindered by unpredictable kangaroo behavior.
• Amendments 21 and 28 would have improved consultation processes but were not accepted.
• Amendment 12 aims to require a public consultation on the draft statement.
• Amendment 13 probes the existing consultation provisions, suggesting inclusion of road user groups and other affected parties.
• Amendment 14 proposes a five-year review cycle for the safety principles statement.
• The statement of safety principles will be subject to public consultation.
• The Government has committed to consulting with road users, road safety groups, and businesses in the industry.
• The composition of the advisory committee is not fixed but flexible over time.
• The statement of safety principles will be subject to public consultation.
• Highways authorities are consulted regularly by the Department for Transport on various issues.
• There is a requirement within the legislation for the Secretary of State to monitor and publish annual reports on the application of the statement of safety principles.
• Amendment 25 seeks clarity on authorising delivery robots for use in non-road locations.
• Amendment 17 requires sellers of automated vehicles to demonstrate features at the point of sale.
• New clause 4 mandates a study into user reaction times within two years of the Bill passing.
• Clause 3 enables the Government to authorise vehicles as automated if they meet safety and insurance requirements.
• Amendment 25 aims to ensure that pedestrians, especially disabled people, are not negatively impacted by AVs in public spaces.
• Delivery bots like those operated by Starship in Cambourne operate on pavements without licence plates or road vehicle regulation.
• Clause 24 deals with the duty of candour requirement for regulated bodies.
• It ensures accurate information is provided to government by entities such as ASDEs and no-user-in-charge operators.
• The Minister highlights the need for openness in other jurisdictions to improve technology.
• The Bill includes provisions for independent investigators to look into incidents involving automated vehicles.
• Clause 28 grants powers for entry and search to ensure thorough investigations can take place.
• Clause 38 involves a general monitoring duty by the Secretary of State, with proposed amendment 26 seeking increased parliamentary scrutiny.
• Amendment 7 requires the Secretary of State to get written consent from devolved governments for certain amendments.
• Amendment 8 extends Clause 50's power to devolved administrations.
• Devolved powers are considered a settled state and require consent from Holyrood when the UK Government seeks to legislate in these areas.
• The UK Government has stated that clause 50 will require legislative consent from devolved governments.
• Clause 50 seeks to implement regulations without seeking legislative consent from the Scottish Parliament.
• Amendments aim to remedy the democratic deficit by requiring the Secretary of State to obtain consent from devolved bodies before legislating in non-devolved areas.