There are serious concerns about the safety of cars driven by foreign drivers on UK roads.

Strict new rules must be introduced before remote-controlled cars are allowed on UK roads, legal advisers at the Government’s Legal Affairs Commission said.

Remote controlled vehicles operated by a person outside the vehicle, miles away or even in another country using a wireless connection to control the vehicle on public roads should only be allowed if the companies that want to use them present to the vehicle safety justification tool. certification agency and request a special order.

Remote-controlled vehicles are already being used in warehouses and farms, but last year Milton Keynes and Coventry tested self-driving vehicles on public roads.

Remote controlled vehicles differ from autonomous vehicles in that they do not have a permanently operating driver inside, but are controlled remotely by a person at all times. During the trials, people could order a car through an app, which was then delivered to them and driven by a remotely controlled driver. The client then takes the car and drives to the destination.

Upon arrival, the car is remotely driven back to the base or to a new client. During the tests, security drivers worked in the car.

In 2017, then-Chancellor Philip Hammond predicted that fully self-driving cars would be on British roads by 2021. Technical problems slowed the pace of progress, not to mention that it was optimistic at first.

According to a review by the Legal Commission, remote-controlled driving technology is not expressly prohibited by current legislation, and more clarity is urgently needed. According to them, a new ban could be introduced immediately.

Remote-controlled driving from abroad should be prohibited until “appropriate international agreements are adopted,” it says.

The commission concluded that “difficulties with enforcement” meant that long-distance driving from abroad should be banned “until appropriate international agreements are in place”. He recommended that long-distance driving in public places should only be allowed if companies obtained special permits.

The review concluded that the driver should be held remotely responsible for their actions in the same way as a person driving the vehicle, but that no responsibility could be taken for errors beyond their control, such as B. Problems with connection must be eliminated.

“It is obviously correct that a driver should be held liable for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or for negligent behavior at a distance. However, a remote driver may have little control over issues caused by connectivity issues, faulty sensors, or poor workstation design.

Public Justice Commissioner Nicholas Paynes KC said: “Our view is that in the short term, the government will be able to fill some of the legal loopholes associated with long-distance driving with existing powers, as well as create a path for business by offering to use technology legally. , provided their systems are secure.”

The Commission’s report warns that serious safety issues need to be addressed, especially when the driver is “out of sight” and relies on screens to see the driving environment. Problems include a complete loss of cellular network connectivity, or the possibility of delays or delays between driver and vehicle responses.

He also warns of the possibility of a “lack of situational awareness”, saying that remote-controlled drivers may find it difficult to judge depth from a 2D image projected onto a screen, or may be unable to read information from other senses. received, such as B. a sense of acceleration.

Drivers who are aloof or non-collision prone may have less of an instinct to realize that what they are doing matters in the “real world”.

A cybersecurity threat could also mean that vehicles could be hijacked and used by “bad actors such as terrorists.”