United Kingdom

Legislative basis for CCAM testing

Legal basis for testing:

1. Code of Practice: Automated Vehicle trialling
2. Automated Vehicles Bill

Contact information:

1. Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

Location: Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR

Mail: enquiries@ccav.gov.uk

The government believes that automated road vehicle technologies and services have the potential to offer benefits of increased safety and accessibility to the travelling public and create new opportunities for UK industry. Therefore, the government wishes to support and facilitate the safe development and introduction of these technologies to the UK’s roads. Trialling any level of automated vehicle technology is possible on any UK road if carried out in line with UK law. Trialling organisations do not need to obtain permits or pay surety bonds when conducting trials in the UK. As part of complying with the law, they will need to ensure that they have: a driver or operator, in or out of the vehicle, who is ready, able, and willing to resume control of the vehicle a roadworthy vehicle appropriate insurance in place.

Automated Vehicles Bill delivers comprehensive legal frameworks for self-driving vehicles, with safety at its core. With the new safety framework, the UK wants to ensure clear liability for the user, safety threshold for self-driving, and a regulatory scheme to monitor the ongoing safety.

Application Requirements

The applications must be submitted to the CCAV by using the following e-mail: enquiries@ccav.gov.uk

There isn’t a defined document describing the application procedure.

List of requirements:

• Completed application form.
• Insurance for vehicle
• Registration of the vehicle
• Description of the modifications to the test vehicle (if based on type-approved vehicle)
• Description of the automated driving function, which is intended to be tested.
• Conducted risk assessment/ analysis:
  • Considering vehicle used.
  • Considering road section.
• Confirmation of / information to road operator
• Documentation of successful pre-tests on proving ground
• Performing a successful pre-testing phase on public roads with no passengers
• Authorization for advanced on-road trials on UK roads.

Responsible for the safety validation:

Public authority and applicant. Trialling organisations do not need to obtain permits or pay surety bonds when conducting trials in the UK. As part of complying with the law, they will need to ensure that they have:  a driver or operator, in or out of the vehicle, who is ready, able, and willing to resume control of the vehicle  a roadworthy vehicle  appropriate insurance in place  The Code also notes that those planning tests should speak with the road and enforcement authorities, develop engagement plans, and have data recorders fitted.

Average handling time for the process:  It depends on the complexity of each trial.

Application fee:  Not required.

Conditions for Testing

Vehicle categories: Small urban goods delivery vehicle robots, shuttles, buses, trucks, cars

SAE levels: No limitations.

ADAS / AD systems: No limitations.

Use-Cases: No limitations.

Geographical areas: No limitations.

 

Driver Requirements

Safety driver: Required always.

Remote operation with no safety driver inside or in sight of the vehicle: Allowed.

When remote monitoring is implemented, the safety case will explore the capability of the vehicle to conduct a minimum risk manoeuvre on its own, in the event of any connectivity issues preventing full control of the vehicle from a remote location.

Data Requirements

Black box needed: Mandatory.

Obligation to report to authority during/after CCAM tests: Mandatory. Trialling organisations should maintain engagement throughout the duration of trial activity and beyond where necessary. It is recommended that trialling organisations establish a single point of contact to facilitate this engagement, which is publicly and easily accessible for those looking to engage with those responsible for the trial.

Test reports availability to the public: Not available

Obligation to report to authority in case of accident: Mandatory. Data recorded shall be reported.

National database for storing reports provided: There is not national database to store these reports.

Requirements on data recording: Yes, the code of practise defines requirements of data that should be recorded continuously, in case of an incident or accident and regarding to performance indicators of the test.

Requirements on disclosing data during/after tests: Yes.

Test vehicle needs to be connected and / or cooperative during test: Yes.

Infrastructure

Testing facilities on public roads: Non-existent.

Testing facilities on private areas:

• ASSURED CAV, Warwickshire CV10 0TU.
• Convex, West Midlands.
• Midlands Future Mobility, Coventry CV4 7AL.
• UTAC Millbrook-Culham, Bedfordshire MK45 2JQ.
• Smart Mobility Living Lab: London, London SE18 6FY.

More information in: CAM Testbed UK webpage.

Cross-border CCAM Testing

There is not cross border acceptance of permissions and currently there is any ongoing cross border CCAM test project.

 

Supportive Documents

• Risk assessment/ analysis:
  • Considering vehicle used.
  • Considering road section.

• Advanced on-road trials.
• Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission undertaking of a far-reaching review to enable the safe and responsible introduction of automated vehicles on GB roads and public places. Here.
• Detailed safety guidance provided by Zenzic.