Committee publication · Correspondence · 15 July 2026
Letter from the Minister for Roads and Buses relating to the Automated Vehicles (Marketing Restrictions) Regulations 2026, dated 7 July 2026
From: Transport Committee
Summary
The Minister for Roads and Buses outlines implementation of the Automated Vehicles (Marketing Restrictions) Regulations 2026, laying statutory instruments to restrict use of terms like 'self-driving', 'driverless', and 'autonomous' to vehicles authorised under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. The regulations aim to prevent misleading marketing, protect consumers, and build public confidence in autonomous vehicle technology.
Key findings
- Eight protected marketing terms reserved for authorised or listed AVs: 'automated', 'autonomous', 'self-driving', 'driverless', 'drive itself', 'automated driving', 'autonomous driving', and 'drive autonomously'.
- Consultation demonstrated strong support from major AV technology companies, insurance sector, and road safety organisations for protecting marketing terms.
- Broader terms like 'robotaxi' and 'AI driver' will be regulated under the general confusion offence (section 79) rather than as protected terms.
- Maximum penalty for marketing offence convictions is a 2-year prison term, fine, or both; enforcement delegated to Department agencies via civil powers under Schedule 5.
- Government will keep regulatory scope under review with possibility to protect additional terms in future; further guidance on Part 4 of the AV Act (misleading marketing) under consideration.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
transport-regulationautomated-vehiclesconsumer-protectionroad-safety
Key actors
Simon Lightwood MP, Ruth Cadbury MP, Department for Transport, Major AV technology companies, Insurance sector, Road safety organisations
Notable line
“… misleading marketing risks worsening road safety and could undermine trust and successful adoption of self-driving vehicle technology and the realisation of …”
Key Quotes
“This process would be undermined if businesses are able to claim that their vehicles are self-driving without getting the vehicles authorised, which may lead to confusion about vehicle capabilities and driver responsibilities.”
“As more manufacturers offer high-end driver assistance systems, misleading marketing risks worsening road safety and could undermine trust and successful adoption of self-driving vehicle technology and the realisation of its road safety benefits.”
“The majority of respondents, including major AV technology companies, the insurance sector and road safety organisations have welcomed this proposal, noting that it will enhance clarity for consumers, improve road safety, and strengthen confidence in automated vehicle technology.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗