BIBA responds to the BIBA welcomes the introduction of ALKS as an important step in the journey towards safe, automated driving on our roads, we agree with Thatcham Research’s view that it constitutes ‘assisted driving’ and not ‘automated driving.’ This is an important distinction because the driver still needs to be in full control of the vehicle. If a vehicle fitted with ALKS is classified as ‘automated’ under the definitions of the 2018 Automated and Electronic Vehicles Act, then the driver would have wide freedoms to do other tasks while ALKS is engaged, such as sending emails or watching media. We think this would result in more accidents, especially since Thatcham has concerns over the efficacy of the technology at this stage of its development.
Read BIBA’s response here.