UK authorities are making changes to the Highway Code to prepare for the arrival of the first self-driving cars on Britain's roads.
Under the proposed changes, drivers will be allowed to watch television programmes and films on built-in screens while using driverless cars, and they will not be held responsible for collisions. However, using a phone behind the wheel will remain illegal and motorists must be ready to take back control of vehicles when needed.
In the case of an accident, insurance companies rather than individuals will be liable for claims, the Department for Transport said (DfT).
Autonomous driving is expected to improve road safety by reducing human error, which has been identified as the cause of 88 per cent of all traffic accidents.
Currently, there are no self-driving vehicles approved in the UK. Existing technologies such as cruise control and automatic stop/start are classified as 'assistive', meaning users must remain fully in...