Legislation Required to Enable Autonomous Vehicles in the UK

The UK's Labour government has delayed the approval of fully self-driving vehicles in the UK to the second half of 2027, a setback from the previous Conservative government's 2026 target. The delay is due to the need for secondary legislation to allow driverless cars to operate without human supervision. The Department for Transport is working on legislation and exploring short-term trials to support the self-driving sector. Uber, ready to deploy driverless taxis, claims the regulatory environment is the only barrier. Public hesitancy is a concern, with a 2024 YouGov poll showing 37% of Britons feeling "very unsafe" in driverless cars. The government estimates the industry could be worth £42 billion and create 38,000 jobs by 2035, but concerns remain about job losses for professional drivers.

https://www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/cars/labour-delays-self-driving-vehicles-2027-uber