According to foreign media reports, the British government said on November 7 that according to the development framework of self-driving cars, the country will stipulate that the manufacturers of self-driving cars will bear the legal responsibility for any crash without the responsibility of the owners, which has been welcomed by insurance companies and self-driving car startups.
When explaining the legislative agenda of the government at the upcoming parliamentary meeting, King Charles of England said that the government would introduce the Automated Vehicles Bill. Previously, Britain promised to introduce the bill last year, but this goal has not been achieved.
In a speech to legislators, King Charles said: "My ministers will introduce a new legal framework to support the safe commercialization of emerging industries such as self-driving cars."
Tara Foley, head of UK and Ireland operations of AXA, a global insurance company, said that the new bill would bring "multiple benefits" to the UK economy, road safety and green jobs. She added: "For insurance companies, the new bill also provides crucial clarity for determining the responsibility of autonomous driving."
Previously, many companies have said that if the regulations on autonomous vehicle technology cannot be passed before the next general election scheduled for next year, the UK may lose its investment, and autonomous driving start-ups will choose to conduct tests elsewhere.
Alex Kendall, CEO of Wayve, an autonomous driving startup, said: "The primary legislation on autonomous vehicles gives us confidence to continue to invest in research and development in the UK and expand our staff." The company has raised about $260 million from investors including Microsoft.