ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ

Expert comment from , Head of Safe Autonomy at ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ.

“We are delighted to see the adoption of the first-ever global rules for fully automated vehicles at the . This is a historic moment in the automated driving journey as this regulation - taking a technology neutral and use-case agnostic approach- establishes a set of uniform performance requirements and testing for automated driving.

“This will help prevent the fragmented approaches that have previously caused confusion and additional work for developers and regulators, while also driving improved safety, efficiency and public trust in the technology.

Experts from have unveiled a bold new six‑point charter designed to enable the responsible introduction of self‑driving vehicles on Britain’s roads.

Self-driving technology has the potential to improve road safety, expand access to transport, strengthen transport networks and support economic growth across the UK. As the UK enters a new era of mobility, the UK Government has estimated that it could contribute up to £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035.

Today, (Thursday 28^th May 2026) welcomes , and , global leaders in self-driving vehicle technology and its deployment, as its first members to drive public trust and support the responsible deployment of self-driving vehicle technology  

PAVE UK will bring Wayve, Uber and Nissan together to collaborate on scientifically backed public engagement to ensure responsible future deployment of automated vehicles across the country. Wayve and Uber plan to deploy autonomous vehicles in London this year as part of an initial trial that will further public engagement and understanding of the technology.   

Expert comment from Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Safe Autonomy at ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ.

"The laying down of The Automated Vehicles (Permits for Automated Passenger Services) Regulations 2026 before Parliament is a landmark moment for the UK; it translates the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 into operational reality and provides a clear legal route for commercial self-driving passenger services on Britain’s roads."

Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Safe Autonomy at WMG, University of ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ, said, "We are glad to see the UK Government is taking a bold step to improve the safety of the roads by publishing this national road safety strategy.

•  WMG and Wayve create first system-agnostic framework to improve AI safety
• Closing the AI safety gap is critical to the real-world deployment of autonomous vehicles globally

• WMG Professor presents framework to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

Experts at WMG, University of ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ and Wayve – a leading AI technology developer – have created the first system-agnostic framework designed to bring a standardised, scientific approach to the testing of datasets for self-driving vehicles.

To drive safety in our future airspace, WMG has been working with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on new research to assess how future electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft can be safely integrated into UK skies. The 18-month study, funded by the Department for Transport, forms part of the regulator’s Future of Flight programme and applies systems thinking to assess the safety of future eVTOL aircraft operations in UK airspace.

The UK and India signed the landmark Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on Thursday 24 July, to foster greater research and scientific collaboration between the two nations. Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, and Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Safe Autonomy at WMG, share their thoughts on the deal.

Professor Siddartha Khastgir, Head of Safe Autonomy at WMG at The University of ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ, has been appointed as a member of the (CCAV)Expert Advisory Panel (EAP).

Along with another 11 panel members, Professor Khastgir will advise and inform on the implementation programme and policies within the UK's .

Professor Siddartha Khastgir, comments on the UK Government's plans to postpone fully self-driving vehicles in the UK to 2027.

Professor Khastgir, Head of Safe Autonomy at WMG, The University of ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ, said:

‘‘The government’s new proposed date of rolling out self-driving vehicles on UK roads is the correct approach to ensure the safety of the technology and the public. Any policy decision, especially for emerging technologies like self-driving vehicles, must be made by gathering and using scientific evidence.

“While we are glad to see that many international self-driving developers would like to deploy their products in the UK, the recent technology recalls in the US and China are a testimony to the fact that we are still learning. More needs to be done before we can introduce the technology on our roads.

“At WMG, we believe safety has two sides: engineering safety and communicating safety. We need global consensus on both aspects, and we are championing this by working with our international partners.’’