On 17 June, the Department for Transport and Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles launched its consultation - Automated vehicles: statement of safety principles. The Consultation closes on 9 September 2026 and can be accessed here.
The Consultation follows the call for evidence that was published in June 2025. The statement of safety principles (SoSP) is a key requirement to getting automated vehicles (AVs) on our roads and getting the SoSP right is vital.
The Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 (AEVA) allowed the Secretary of State, at their own discretion, to list vehicle as AVs. Only once listed as an AV would the vehicle be able to operate legally on the roads in the UK, and, as yet, no vehicles are listed.
The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 (the Act), limits the powers granted to the Secretary of State to list vehicles under AEVA. The Act allows the Secretary of State to authorise a road vehicle for use as an automated vehicle once certain safety critical requirements are met. The Act requires that the SoSP must be framed with a view to securing that:
(a) Authorised automated vehicles will achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or higher than, that of careful and competent human drivers, and
(b) Road safety in Great Britain will be better as a result of the use of authorised automated vehicles on roads than it would otherwise be.
As such, the SoSP will underpin the authorisation process and authorised AVs will be judged by reference to the SoSP. The authorisation process will be ongoing and the annual performance assessment of the self-driving fleet will also be by reference to SoSP.
The 10 principles set out in the draft SoSP are:
Self-driving vehicles should :
- Use the road in accordance with traffic laws and the Highway Code
- Maintain control over the vehicle at all times
- Predict, detect and respond to hazards proactively
- Adapt driving to road and weather conditions
- Behave in a predictable manner
- Improve road safety in Great Britain for all
- Interact safely with all road users, particularly vulnerable road users
- Interact safely with emergency services
- Only operate autonomously within the limits under which they are specifically designed to
- Be designed to take account of the specificities of the territory where they will operate
For insurers to fully understand AVs and their risk, the SoSP will be a key document. Ensuring that the principles included are the right ones to foster safety and to measure whether AVs are operating as they should. This will be key to determining overall risk and specific liability outcomes.
We responded in detail to the call for evidence, and we will be reviewing the consultation in detail and responding. Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the consultation, please do get in touch with one of the below expert lawyers in our Strategic Advisory Team.
