The Government has commissioned a detailed review of driving laws to ensure the UK remains one of the best places in the world to develop, test and drive self-driving vehicles.

Roads Minister Jesse Norman has announced the start of a 3-year review by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission to examine any legal obstacles to the widespread introduction of self-driving vehicles and highlight the need for regulatory reforms.

The work will be crucial in examining how current driving laws – designed with traditional motoring in mind – can support the next generation of vehicles.

Key aspects will be adjusting traditional laws to reflect the fact self-driving vehicles of the future will not have a ‘driver’ or perhaps even a ‘steering wheel’ like traditional cars and also consider some of the criminal offences involved.

The review is part of the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge set out in the government’s Industrial Strategy.

Roads Minister, Jesse Norman said: "The UK is a world leader for self-driving vehicle research and development, and this work marks an important milestone in our continued commitment to the technology.

"With driving technology advancing at an unprecedented rate, it is important that our laws and regulations keep pace so that the UK can remain one of the world leaders in this field."

The Law Commissions’ joint project will examine difficult areas of law in order to develop a regulatory framework that is ready for self-driving vehicles.

Jesse Norman announced the review during a visit to the GATEway project in Greenwich. The project, which is led by the UK’s TRL, has worked on a number of innovative trials and demonstrations, including an autonomous delivery pod with Ocado and an automated valet parking trial.

The GATEway project is now entering its final phase which will see a fleet of automated pods providing a shuttle service around the Greenwich Peninsula to understand public acceptance of, and attitudes towards, self-driving vehicles.