Self-driving vehicle consultation launched to help shape regulations

A Government consultation has been launched to help shape the future of self-driving vehicles, with on-the-road trials due to start next year.

Safety, innovation, regulation and accessibility will be at the forefront of the Automated Passenger Services (APS) permitting scheme to allow trials to get underway.

The consultation follows the recent Government decision to fast-track pilots of self-driving passenger vehicles to spring 2026.    

The trials will allow firms to pilot small scale services without a safety driver for the first time – which could be available to members of the public to book via an app – before a potential wider rollout when the Automated Vehicles Act is implemented in full from the second half of 2027.

Future of roads minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: “Self-driving vehicles are one of the most exciting opportunities to improve transport for so many people, especially those in rural areas or unable to drive.

“We want to work with passengers and industry to make this new form of transport safe and accessible, as we take our next steps towards adoption.

“This technology doesn’t just have the potential to improve transport for millions of people. It will help stimulate innovation, create thousands of jobs, and drive investment to put more money in people’s pockets.”

Through the consultation, fleet decision-makers, representative groups, industry stakeholders, trade unions and members of the public will be able to make their views heard and influence future Government policy over a variety of areas critical for self-driving vehicles to run safely and efficiently.

These include how self-driving vehicles can be made as accessible as possible for disabled and older people, how services of self-driving vehicles are approved by councils, and when a permit to operate a service should be varied, suspended or withdrawn.

Gavin Jackson, CEO of Oxa, said: “As the first company to trial an autonomous vehicles on UK roads back in 2016, we are delighted to see the UK continuing to progress towards making AV services a commercial reality.

“The Automated Passenger Services (APS) regime will enable the deployment of innovative public transport services that will augment our current transport network, making it easier and more accessible than ever to get around."

The APS scheme is an essential part of the of the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act which will regulate taxi, private-hire and bus-like self-driving vehicles once it is implemented in full in the second half of 2027.

The Automated Vehicles Act will require self-driving vehicles to achieve a level of safety at least as high as competent and careful human drivers, and they will undergo safety tests before being allowed on UK roads.

Self-driving trials have been taking place in the UK since January 2015, with British companies Wayve and Oxa spearheading significant breakthroughs in the technology.

The Automated Passenger Services (APS) permitting scheme consultation is open for 10 weeks and will close on September 28.