Axa Insurance and Burges Salmon say difficulties with understanding how driverless technology is defined could cause confusion for motorists. This is particularly the case, they add, with ‘level three’ automation where a vehicle is in control but with the expectation that a human will intervene if requested.

The two firms came to their conclusions after three years working on the Venturer consortium, testing driverless vehicles in the west of England. Government’s Automated & Electric Vehicles Bill is currently making its way through Parliament.

Most vehicles currently on UK roads have a maximum autonomy level of two – whereby technology helps a human driver with steering or acceleration and deceleration. But some vehicles are more capable than others, they say.

Further confusion is feared at level three automation because, according to the two companies, “it’s not clear what technology these vehicles will have as standard, and therefore how much responsibility lies with the vehicle itself as well as the driver”.

Axa UK technical director David Williams said: “We must not forget the human element of connected and autonomous vehicles. Owners need to know what the car is capable of as well as what they are legally allowed to do when behind the wheel, which is still yet to be defined.”

The two firms also argue that further investigations need to be made into how safety standards will change in future including driving tests, MOTs, services, and driving ability. At the same time, certain motoring laws may no longer be needed, while others come into effect.

The Venturer project also looked at how driverless vehicles should be marketed to the public: not as 'smart technology' but technology that requires a certain level of human interaction, they say.

Burges Salmon’s transport sector head Chris Jackson said: “Placing user and public certainty, experience and safety at the heart of legal and insurance reforms is essential to building user trust and acceptance. It is only by continuing to demonstrate this commitment at each stage of the development process that driverless vehicles will be able to fulfil their potential to deliver safer and more efficient transport at scale.”

♦ Most people are comfortable with autonomous vehicles parking themselves, according to a report published by those behind the Gateway project in south London.

Eighty nine percent of participants in a trial near Greenwich said they trusted technology where a vehicle is left to find a place to park itself. Only 7% of those asked said they had a ‘partial distrust’ of the systems with 4% voting that they do not trust such systems.