UK Law and Practice Contributed by: James Backhouse, Jonathon Backhouse, Andrew Woolfall and Mark Davies, Backhouse Jones
15. Emerging Issues and Future Developments
15.3 Climate Resilience No content provided in this jurisdiction. 15.4 Urban Mobility and Congestion
15.1 Autonomous and Connected Transport The operator of an autonomous vehicle will always be legally responsible for its operation. However, in the absence of a human driver, determining accountabil - ity for an incident or accident may be more complex. Unlike conventionally driven vehicles, where the driver is typically responsible for the safe operation and con - dition of the vehicle, autonomous vehicles may give rise to the question of where liability rests – with the operator, manufacturer, software developer, mainte - nance provider or another party. This presents legal challenges and is an area likely to evolve in discussion and debate in the coming years. 15.2 Hydrogen and Alternative Propulsion Hydrogen is potentially a very important fuel for the haulage and coach sectors in a future which increas - ingly targets zero carbon dioxide emissions. Hydrogen is, however, currently subject to different regulatory controls from other fuels, and in spite of strong advocacy from powerful supporters, currently its use as a vehicle fuel is in its infancy in the UK. Fur - thermore, availability of hydrogen as a fuel is challeng - ing in 2026; it does not benefit from the infrastructure advantages that diesel and electricity have.
Congestion pricing, low-emission zones or urban access restrictions are regulated by the local author - ity, which has the power to propose and implement such measures.
17 CHAMBERS.COM
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