The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has published an industry guidance for marketing autonomous vehicles.

Developed with the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles’ AV-DRiVE Group, the principles aim to provide a guidance for responsible advertising and communication relating to automated vehicles and their capabilities.

The guiding principles state:

  • An automated driving feature must be sufficiently clearly so as not to mislead, including setting out the circumstances in which that feature can function.
  • An automated driving feature must be described sufficiently clearly so that it is distinguished from an assisted driving feature.
  • Where both automated driving and assisted driving features are described, they must be clearly distinguished from each other.
  • An assisted driving feature should not be described in a way that could convey the impression that it is an automated driving feature.
  • The name of an automated or assisted driving feature must not mislead by conveying that it is the other – ancillary words may be necessary to avoid confusion – for example for an assisted driving feature, by making it clear that the driver must be in control at all times.

The SMMT hopes that the industry-led guidance will ensure consumers receive consistent and clear information regarding automated driving features, ahead of their expected introduction to British roads in 2022.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “The UK is at the forefront of the introduction of automated vehicles, which has tremendous potential to save lives, improve mobility for all and drive economic growth. It is essential that this revolutionary technology is marketed accurately and responsibly, and we are delighted to have brought together industry, government and other key stakeholders to develop a series of guiding principles that will ensure consumers will have clarity and confidence over their capabilities from when these advanced vehicles first make their way into showrooms.”

Transport minister Trudy Harrison added: “Self-driving vehicles have the potential to make journeys safer, greener and more accessible for all, which is why we want to make the UK the best place to trial, develop and deploy their technology, to ensure we are among the first to realise their benefits.

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“It is essential that industry and stakeholders are clear on their responsibilities and developed in partnership with government, motoring and road safety groups, the SMMT’s Guiding Principles are an important step to promote the safe use of automated technologies in the UK.”

The latest new car market statistics from the SMMT revealed a fourth consecutive monthly decline in car registrations, marking the worst October for the market since 1991.