Drivers of self-steering cars are ordered to keep their hands on the wheel

OWNERS of the latest state-of-the-art cars such as Teslas must not take their hands off the wheel for more than one minute, under new legislation.

New cars are routinely being equipped with automated “lane steering”, which prevents the car drifting out of its lane. The feature, combined with cruise control and automatic emergency braking, has encouraged some drivers to take their hands off the wheel for prolonged periods.

While the Highway Code states that drivers should have both hands on the wheel “where possible”, motoring organisations have raised concerns that this “grey area” could lead to accidents.

The Government has introduced regulations requiring cars with automated steering to give drivers a visual warning if they have not touched the steering wheel for 15 seconds.

After 30 seconds the car will provide an audio warning, and after a minute the automated steering function will deactivate. The legislation, which came into effect on April 1, applies to all new models and to existing models, such as the Tesla Model S, from April 2021.

Offending motorists face penalty points and a £1,000 fine, plus driving bans and even jail sentences if their driving is considered dangerous.

Last month a motorist was banned from driving after being caught in the passenger seat on the M1 with the autopilot feature engaged. The driving seat was vacant. Bhavesh Patel, from Nottingham, had engaged the car’s semiautonomous driving mode before climbing into the passenger seat.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was handed an 18-month driving ban, a £1,800 fine and ordered to carry out 10 days of rehabilitation and 100 hours of community service.

Ed King, president of the AA, said: “Until we have fully driverless cars, we cannot have people going out on their own and experimenting. The automated cars may be ready for it, but if all the cars around them aren’t, collisions will occur. We have to watch how the technology will be used. We are not at the stage where drivers should be taking their hands off the wheel.

“Much of this technology is already there. Many new models have lane assist and automatic emergency braking. This technology will, and is, enhancing safety, but we shouldn’t jump the gun.”

The Highway Code is being updated to take into account new automated technologies, such as new remote control parking.

Using a key fob or a smartphone app, drivers can move the car backwards and forwards into spaces while in or outside their car. The vehicle then automatically manoeuvres into spaces.

Ministers also want to update the Highway Code to address new technologies, such as automated steering on motorways. The code will state that drivers using automated features “must exercise full control over these systems at all times”.