Drivers in the UK could be allowed to watch TV from behind the wheel of a self-driving car if proposed updates to the law go through.
As reported by the BBC, an update to The Highway Code will arrive this summer that addresses what is and isn't legal in automated vehicles, and could arrive in the UK as early as this year.
The draft amendment states that watching TV from a car's infotainment apparatus – essentially a touch screen mounted on the dashboard – will be legal in situations where automated driving itself is legal. At the moment, this is only expected to be while travelling at low speeds on congested motorways.
It states: "While a self-driving vehicle is driving itself in a valid situation, you are not responsible for how it drives. You may turn your attention away from the road and you may also view content through the vehicle’s built-in infotainment apparatus, if available."
Using your phone or similar handheld technology in the car will still be illegal though, even if the car is allowed to be self-driving – unless, as the normal law applies, the driver is required to call emergency services.
This update was part of what the government calls "interim measures" to support early adopters of automated vehicles but full regulatory framework is expected to arrive by 2025.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
