ALL THINGS LICENSING
Mohamed also asked what discussions ministers have held with technology companies on improving safety features to reduce the need for driver interaction while vehicles are in motion. The response indicates that while engagement with industry is ongoing, no formal guidance or regulatory intervention is currently planned.
It is a cornerstone of community safety.
If the Government heeds the Committee’s warnings, we have an opportunity to build a system that is both consistent and robust.
If not, we risk entrenching the very problems we are trying to solve. The stakes, as ever in licensing, could not be higher.
In other news:
Government pressed on safety risks from use of booking and navigation apps
The Department for Transport has said it has not issued any specific guidance to developers of private hire booking apps or navigation tools, despite growing concerns about driver distraction and road safety.
In a series of written parliamentary questions, Dewsbury and Batley MP, Iqbal Mohamed, asked ministers what assessment had been made of the impact of app based systems on taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers, and whether the Government planned to issue guidance to ensure such apps can be operated hands free.
Transport minister Lilian Greenwood confirmed that no tailored guidance has been produced but said the department “engages with industry and monitors how these technologies are used in practice.” She stressed that the law already places clear responsibility on drivers to maintain full control of their vehicle at all times.
Greenwood reiterated that it is illegal to hold or use a mobile phone while driving, including when stopped in traffic, and that enforcement remains a matter for the police. She added that the Government will continue assessing the benefits of emerging technologies while supporting the development of safer, distraction minimising systems.
PHTM JULY 2026
Government sets out next steps for implementing AVs Act 2024
The Government has issued an update on the implementation of the Automated Vehicles (AVs) Act 2024, alongside the launch of a consultation on the draft Statement of Safety Principles for automated vehicles.
The consultation forms part of the statutory framework required to bring self-driving technology into regulated use and sets out the principles that automated vehicles must meet before they can be authorised for deployment.
The draft principles outline expectations for whole-life safety, including pre-deployment assessment, in-use monitoring and the ability to intervene if safety performance changes.
The Department for Transport states that the principles are intended to provide a consistent basis for assessing whether an automated vehicle is safe to operate on public roads.
The Government has also invited the public to contribute views on self-driving vehicle safety. The consultation seeks input from local authorities, industry, safety bodies and members of the public to inform the final version of the safety principles. This forms part of the wider programme to implement the AV Act, which also includes the national pilot scheme for automated passenger services.
The AV Act brings automated passenger services within a defined regulatory structure. Services that would require a taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) licence if operated by a human driver remain within scope when automated. This ensures that automated taxi-style and PHV-style services cannot operate outside existing local licensing controls.
The Government has confirmed that the permitting scheme for automated passenger services is intended to reflect the regulatory expectations that apply to current taxi and PHV operations.
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