These are some of the questions at the heart of the Department for Transport's consultation on a draft Statement of Safety Principles for automated vehicles, which will help guide future decisions on whether vehicles meet the legal self-driving test. CIHT has now submitted its response to the consultation. 
In its response, CIHT supports the development of a clear safety framework for automated vehicles but argues that autonomous vehicles should do more than simply match the safety performance of careful and competent human drivers. The Institution believes automated vehicles should deliver a measurable reduction in deaths and serious injuries and contribute to wider road safety ambitions. 

CIHT also highlights the importance of ensuring that automated vehicles are introduced in a way that supports, rather than undermines, sustainable transport. The response calls for AV deployment to complement public transport, active travel and wider government objectives around decarbonisation, health and creating people-centred places. 

A major focus of the response is the protection of vulnerable road users. CIHT argues that future automated vehicle systems should explicitly prioritise the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, micromobility users and motorcyclists, reflecting the principles set out in the Highway Code. The Institution also stresses the need for AVs to operate safely and predictably in the complex environments people encounter every day, from school streets and shared spaces to rural roads, temporary traffic management and extreme weather conditions. 

The response goes beyond vehicle technology alone, urging policymakers to consider the wider impacts of automated vehicles on the transport system. CIHT warns that, if not carefully managed, AV deployment could increase traffic volumes, worsen congestion and draw passengers away from public transport and active travel. Safety, the Institution argues, should be assessed not only at the level of individual vehicles but also across the wider network and communities they serve.

CIHT's submission also calls for robust ongoing monitoring of automated vehicle performance, stronger consideration of cybersecurity and connectivity resilience, and greater recognition of the role that local authorities and transport authorities will play in the successful deployment of AV technology. 

The response was informed by expert member input from across the highways and transportation profession and reflects CIHT's commitment to ensuring that innovation in transport delivers benefits for everyone while supporting safer, more sustainable and more inclusive journeys.

Read the full CIHT response to the Department for Transport's consultation on the Statement of Safety Principles for automated vehicles.