Under new proposals from the UK’s Law Commissions, the person in the driving seat of an automated vehicle would no longer be responsible for how the car drives.

Instead, the company behind the vehicle would face regulatory sanctions if anything goes wrong.

The report recommends the introduction of a new Automated Vehicles Act to regulate vehicles that can drive themselves.

It suggests drawing a clear distinction between cars that just assist drives with features like adaptive cruise control, and those that are completely self-driving.

“The development of self-driving vehicles in the UK has the potential to revolutionise travel, making every day journeys safer, easier and greener,” said transport minister Trudy Harrison. “This Government has been encouraging development and deployment of these technologies to understand their benefits.

“However, we must ensure we have the right regulations in place, based upon safety and accountability, in order to build public confidence.”

Public law commissioner Nicholas Paines QC added that the recommendations give an “unprecedented opportunity” to promote public acceptance of automated cars and can ensure that accessibility – especially for older and disabled people – is prioritised from the outset.

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