Being drunk or asleep at the wheel of a driverless cars to be made illegal

It seems like one of the great promises of driverless cars: owners can get into the vehicles after a few pints at the pub and let the sober computer navigate them home.

But being over the limit will be illegal even when operating an autonomous vehicle, the Government has said, dashing hopes that the futuristic vehicles will act as chauffeurs after one too many.

Documents published alongside the Automated Vehicles Bill, announced in this week’s King’s Speech, specify that users of driverless cars must “remain in a fit state to drive” while the vehicles are on the road.

Under the proposed laws, driverless car owners will not be held responsible if their cars cause fatal crashes, with the companies developing the technology instead liable for prosecution.

However, the cars will still require a “user in charge”, who must be in a position to take command if the self-driving system requests it.

The user, who must sit in the front seat of a car while it is driving itself, will also require a driving licence and will not be allowed to sleep while the car is moving or use their mobile phone, according to the documents.

They will essentially serve as a back-up driver and “should remain able to retake dynamic driving control, for example they must be awake and in the driving seat”.

Users will also be responsible for ensuring that passengers are wearing seatbelts and that the car is roadworthy.

Falling below these standards could open users up to prosecution, even when the driverless system is controlling the car.

The requirements will not apply in certain circumstances where there is not a need for a user in charge, such as a driverless taxi service or shuttle bus where vehicles will ultimately be under the control of staff in remote operation centres.

However, these systems are not likely to be available until after the deployment of driverless cars used by individuals.