Department of Transportation United Kingdom announced some rules that will allow drivers to watch TV with autonomous cars in move.

Although the government approves this rule, it is important to note that self-driving cars are not allowed in the UK, but the introduction of these cars is planned for this year.

In the new rule, the responsible authority emphasizes that drivers must be prepared to return control of vehicles upon request. According to BBC News, rule changes road code will be introduced during the summer in the country.

The document confirms that autonomous vehicles can drive safely if the driving function is enabled correctly.

“The ability of an autonomous vehicle to drive itself can be limited to certain situations or stages of a journey. Factors such as road type, time of day, weather, location, and speed can affect this. When and how to use the autonomous driving feature.”– quotes the Department of Transport.

restrictions

In addition to requiring the driver to resume driving if necessary, the rule will have other restrictions. The person behind the wheel will only be able to view the contents of the infotainment device built into the vehicle, meaning the use of cell phones and other mobile devices will still be illegal.

The new rule will only apply to vehicles registered as self-driving under UK law. It is worth noting that currently the page with the list of these vehicles is empty. And of course the driver must be able to drive a car, that is, not drunk or under the influence of drugs.

All published regulations apply to self-driving vehicles. As such, the new version will not apply to vehicles with “assisted steering functions” that have mechanisms to assist the driver, such as lane keeping assist. In these cases, drivers are generally responsible for the vehicle and violations will still be valid for that type of vehicle.

“As long as an autonomous vehicle is moving in an acceptable situation, you are not responsible for how it drives. You can take your attention off the road, and you can also view content through the car’s built-in infotainment device, if available.”, said the UK Department for Transport.

Video shows police officer asking to stop self-driving car
The winged car was moving with its headlights off.

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Source: The Verge, BBC. Source: Department for Transport (UK).