Automated Vehicles: Consultation on Draft Statement of Safety Principles
House of Commons · Written Statements · 17 Jun 2026 · 1 speech · Official Report
I would like to provide the House with a further update on the progress the Government have made in implementing the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. Today the Government are publishing their analysis of responses to last year’s call for evidence on the statement of safety principles. The call for evidence sought views on how the statement of safety principles could be used, described and measured. Alongside this publication, the Government are launching a statutory consultation on the draft statement of safety principles. This public consultation will seek views from organisations representing road users, road safety groups, and self-driving vehicle businesses, in line with the requirements set out in section 2(3) of the AV Act 2024. The consultation will be open until September 2026. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the statutory statement of safety principles for AVs will be laid before Parliament next year for approval. Safety sits at the heart of the AV regulatory framework, ensuring that AVs are safe to use on Great Britain’s roads and remain safe throughout their deployment. A cornerstone of this framework is the statutory statement of safety principles, which will guide the Secretary of State in decisions on whether an AV can be deployed on Great Britain’s roads, and in the ongoing monitoring of authorised AVs. There are also principles relating to behaviours specific to an AV, such as operating only within their authorised domain. In addition, the Secretary...