The United Kingdom is to undertake a consultation programme that is intended to pave the way for the use of autonomous vehicles on the country's roads. The Department for Transport (DfT), under the proposed measures, rules will be changed so that vehicles using this technology can be insured. Furthermore, the DfT will also make changes to the Highway Code and other regulations so that such vehicles will be able to change lanes and park safely. The statement also added that the government will launch a competition next month to disperse a further GBP30 million (USD39 million) from the Intelligent Mobility Fund to support the research and development (R&D) of self-driving technologies.

The UK government is keen to put the country at the forefront of new technological areas, and autonomous driving has been targeted as a key area. The consultation will take place over the next nine weeks, will provide support for the government to make changes to the rules of the road to smooth the way for the introduction of such technology and prevent some of the disputes that may arise. The focus on insurance − required by all drivers to some level in the UK − will also ensure that users of the technology are fully backed, with the amendments brought into force through the Modern Transport Bill.

Interestingly for carmakers and suppliers, while insurers will pay out to customers in the event of accident, the rules will enable the insurer to claim the money back from an automaker "if the vehicle is deemed to be at fault", according to the director of general insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers, James Dalton. With liability being pushed back on to OEMs and component suppliers, this will further increase the pressure to introduce systems that are infallible.

The announcement by the UK government comes as Jaguar Land Rover announced it will launch a test fleet of more than 100 autonomous vehicles over the next four years. The vehicles will operate on a 41 mile test route covering a variety of road conditions, as the automaker develops technology that enables cars to communicate with each other and detect hazards.

Tony Harper, head of research at JLR, said to the FT: “Our connected and automated technology could help improve traffic flow, cut congestion and reduce the potential for accidents.

“We will also improve the driving experience, with drivers able to choose how much support and assistance they need.

“In traffic, for example, the driver could choose autonomy assist during tedious or stressful parts of the journey.”

Germany has also launched a EUR80 million (USD88 million) programme to support the development of automated and connected driving. The grants will be available through 2020 for research projects in the field of automated and connected driving. The new programme will be continuously monitored and controlled at state secretary level under the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.

The announcements come at a time when the industry is looking towards standardization and frameworks for AD development are echoed in the US, where Google and General Motors have urged US policymakers to draft uniform autonomous vehicle regulations. In testimonies submitted to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the companies warned that different sets of regulations in separate states are likely to hinder development of the technology.

"The worst possible scenario for the growth of autonomous vehicles is an inconsistent and conflicting patchwork of local, municipal and county laws," said Joseph Okpaku, GM's vice-president of government relations. Google, which has been a pioneer in the field, despite being an outsider, sounded a similar opinion.

"If every state is left to go its own way without a unified approach, operating self-driving cars across state boundaries would be an unworkable situation and one that will significantly hinder safety innovation, interstate commerce, national competitiveness and the eventual deployment of autonomous vehicles," said Chris Urmson, Google's director of self-driving cars.

While automakers and suppliers are keen to bring their self-driving systems to market, regulators have fallen behind in framing policies including identifying responsibilities in the event of an accident. Questions are also being raised over whether the current systems are ready for widespread deployment.

"In my opinion, the self-driving car community is woefully deficient in its testing and evaluation programmes... with no leadership that notionally should be provided by [the] NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]," said Mary Cummings, director of Duke University Humans and Autonomy Laboratory, in its testimony.