Remote parking to get the green light

Highway Code likely to be amended to enable drivers to use assist technology without risk of prosecution

Drivers will soon be allowed to park their cars using remote controls thanks to a rule change which the Government claims will revolutionise British roads. The Department for Transport has launched a consultation on changing the Highway Code to legalise cars with the technology that allows drivers to use a key fob or a smartphone app to move the car back and forwards into spaces while sitting in their car or standing nearby it.

DRIVERS will soon be allowed to park their cars using remote controls thanks to a rule change which the Government claims will revolutionise roads.

The Department for Transport has launched a consultation on changing the Highway Code to legalise cars with remote control parking technology. Using a key fob or a smartphone app drivers can press buttons to move backwards and forwards into spaces while sitting in their car or standing near it.

The remote control feature can make parking far easier for drivers with reduced mobility, as well as helping people get into tight parking spaces and small garages, officials said.

Under current rules drivers who push a button on their phone or key fob to park their car could be running the risk of a fine. Such features are only allowed to be used on private land and not in public car parks or on roads.

At present few car models offer remote control parking. However it is expected that the feature will become commonplace after the change is passed. The move builds on previous consultations on automated driving and will be seen as a step towards the Government’s plan to see fully selfdriving

‘Even the best drivers can get sweaty palms when confronted with a tight parking space’

cars on roads by 2021.

The consultation document cited a 2013 study by the British Parking Association which suggested the average driver spends 106 days of their life searching for a parking space.

Rule changes to allow the use of systems which can control speed and positioning on motorways are also included in the proposals.

Announcing the start of the consultation, Jesse Norman, a transport minister, said: “The Government is determined that Britain should lead the way in embracing the safe deployment of new vehicle technology.

“Features such as remote control parking and motorway assist have the potential to transform car travel, adding greater convenience and accessibility to drivers, so that they can park and drive with more confidence.”

Mike Hawes, chief executive at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “We welcome The Government’s continued commitment to keep the UK at the forefront of connected and autonomous vehicle development and roll-out.”

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, added: “Even the best drivers can get sweaty palms when confronted with a tight parking space, but as with so many aspects of motoring, the technology to assist exists.

“These proposals show that ministers are determined to make sure the regulations keep up with the tech so we all benefit from advances that make our lives both simpler and safer.”