Government has this week launched a call for evidence on an Automated Lane Keeping System (ALKS) which, when activated, would keep the vehicle within its lane and control its movements for extended periods of time without driver input.

“Automated technology could make driving safer, smoother and easier for motorists and the UK should be the first country to see these benefits, attracting manufacturers to develop and test new technologies,” said Transport Minister Rachel Maclean.

“The UK’s work in this area is world leading and the results from this call for evidence could be a significant step forward for this exciting technology.”

The ALKS technology is described as a ‘traffic jam chauffeur’, and would initially be used for low speed applications at under 40mph on motorways.

The driver must be ready and able to resume driving control when prompted by the vehicle at all times, Government’s consultation document proposes. ALKS is required to have a ‘driver availability recognition system’, and will provide a warning if they do not remain in a position to take back the wheel.

Road safety group IAM RoadSmart’s policy and research director Neil Greig welcomed the Government’s consultation but expressed concerns over the driver availability recognition aspect of the technology.

“Motorways are our safest roads and that is where this technology will be most used, so it is vital to get it right before it becomes widely available in new cars in the next few years,” he said.

“From a road safety perspective, our main concern is around how the car judges the mental and physical ability of the driver to take back control. This is invariably going to be in a situation where the car is unable to respond autonomously and needs the decision making and judgement of the driver to maintain road safety. In this situation, if the driver is unprepared to take back control quickly, then the potential for a reaction that over or under estimates the risk is clearly high.”

He also expressed a need – as ALKS and other new driver assistance features come on stream – to ensure drivers are informed and trained “so that they know exactly what these systems can and cannot do safely”.

ALKS is considered to represent a step up from existing advanced driver assistance systems – such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance and advanced emergency braking – in that drivers will be permitted to hand full control to the automated technology.

Government is seeking views on proposed rules for the use of the new system and is asking whether cars using the technology should be legally defined as automated vehicles. This would mean the technology provider would be responsible for the safety of the vehicle when the system is engaged, rather than the driver.

The call for evidence also seeks views on proposals to allow the safe use of the system – which could enter the UK market from spring 2021 – at speeds of up to 70mph.
The consultation runs until 27 October.

(Photograph: Highways England)