'Safer and easier'
The DfT believes the tech will “make driving safer and easier” and is pushing towards its introduction within the current legal framework.
The call for evidence will ask whether vehicles using this technology should be legally defined as automated vehicles.
If so, the technology provider becomes responsible for the safety of the vehicle when the system is engaged, rather than the driver.
Handing over control
The technology allows drivers to hand over control of their vehicle for extended periods of time. The driver must be ready and able to resume driving control when prompted by the computer.
It is anticipated that the new framework will allow speeds of up to 70mph.
Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said she wanted Britain to be the first to see the benefits of safer, smoother and easier driving, and wants manufacturers to develop and test new technologies.
Significant step
“The UK’s work in this area is world-leading, and the results from this call for evidence could be a significant step forward for this exciting technology,” said a DfT spokesman.
In June, ALKS regulation was hammered out by the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), of which Britain is a member.
Described as a ‘milestone for mobility’ the UN regulation has been adopted by 60 countries, co-led by Japan and Germany, and will come into force in January 2021.
The European Commission has said that regulation will apply in the EU following its activation.
Black box
Vehicles must have a “black box, or data-storage system”, which will record when ALKS is activated, under the regulation.
ALKS functionality will also have to be compliant with cybersecurity and software-update requirements.
ALKS can only be activated on roads where pedestrians and cyclists are prohibited, and which have a physical separation that divides the traffic moving in opposite directions.
A public consultation on changes to the UK Highway Code is planned for later this year, and will include a summary of responses to the call for evidence.