Driver trainers and road safety professionals will play a critical role in the safe introduction of automated vehicles on UK roads.

That is one of the conclusions in a new report from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) – Automated Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities.

Challenging changes

RoSPA’s report, which examines the opportunities and challenges presented by self-driving technology, warns that public understanding of vehicle automation is lagging behind technological development and highlights the need for education to sit alongside legislation if the safety benefits are to be realised.

Published as the Government moves forward with plans to introduce automated vehicles under the Automated Vehicles Act, the report argues that road safety must remain at the centre of deployment, with driver training likely to become one of the most important factors in ensuring the technology is used correctly.

For the driver training sector, the findings represent both a challenge and an opportunity.

While fully automated vehicles have the potential to reduce collisions caused by human error, RoSPA warns that many motorists already misunderstand the capabilities of existing driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and automated emergency braking.

Complacent motorists

The organisation fears that as vehicles become increasingly automated, some drivers may overestimate what the technology can do and become complacent behind the wheel.

That concern is particularly relevant to driving instructors, who are increasingly introducing learners to vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and will likely be at the forefront of educating future motorists about automation.

The report suggests that future driver training may need to evolve beyond traditional vehicle control and hazard perception skills to include understanding system limitations, human-machine interaction and the safe management of transitions between automated and manual driving.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA’s head of road safety, said automated vehicles have the potential to make a significant contribution to casualty reduction but warned that public confidence and understanding would be critical.

“Automation offers tremendous opportunities to improve road safety, but only if people understand how the technology works and where its limitations lie,” he said.

Manual safety

The report arrives against the backdrop of stubbornly high casualty figures. Despite significant improvements over previous decades, more than 1,500 people continue to lose their lives on Britain’s roads each year, while tens of thousands suffer serious injuries.

Human error remains a contributory factor in the overwhelming majority of collisions, leading many road safety experts to view automation as one of the most promising long-term interventions available.

However, RoSPA stresses that technology alone will not solve the problem.

The report highlights international research showing that drivers can become overly reliant on automated systems, sometimes paying less attention to the driving task when they believe the vehicle is in control.

This phenomenon, known as automation complacency, has already featured in several high-profile incidents involving advanced driver assistance technologies around the world.

Teaching the future

For driver trainers, this presents a significant educational challenge.

As vehicles become increasingly sophisticated, instructors may find themselves teaching not only how to drive, but also when not to trust technology.

The report also raises questions about how driving tests and licensing requirements may need to adapt.

Current licensing arrangements are built around human drivers exercising continuous control of a vehicle.

As automated systems take on more responsibility, policymakers will need to decide how much knowledge and competence drivers should retain, including understanding how to use specific features safely.

Many industry observers believe driver education will become even more important during the transitional period when automated and conventionally driven vehicles share the same roads.

Now and then

RoSPA also highlights wider benefits of automation, including improved mobility for older and disabled people, reduced congestion and potential efficiency gains for fleets and commercial operators.

Yet the report concludes that none of these benefits should be taken for granted.

Instead, it calls for strong regulation, independent safety oversight, transparent public communication and continued investment in road safety education.

For the driver training profession, the message is clear: automated vehicles may change how people drive, but they are unlikely to remove the need for skilled driver education.

The authors conclude that, as vehicle technology becomes more complex, the role of instructors in helping drivers understand risk, responsibility and safe decision-making may become more important than ever.