Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

You must follow our guidance if you're planning trials of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) in London.

Developed with London Councils and London boroughs, our guidance tells you what we expect for CAV trials including working with us from the start, using a safety first approach and regular reporting.

You must also follow the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles' (CCAV's) Code of Practice: Automated vehicle trialling.

Why we're working on CAVs

Along with our commitments in the Mayor's Transport Strategy, we have legal duties and responsibilities to keep London moving. So, we work with all organisations planning to run CAV trials in London to understand the opportunities, risks and challenges they present.

We're also thinking about areas of future policy and will work with the Department for Transport and the Law Commission where changes to the law are required.

What are CAVs?

Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) can also be known as driverless cars. They can be connected, autonomous, or both:

  • Connected vehicles can communicate information, such as traffic alerts, wirelessly with other vehicles, infrastructure and devices
  • Autonomous vehicles can perform driving tasks without a human, such as braking, steering and even driving themselves 

London trials

CAVs have attracted investment worldwide and small scale trials are already taking place in London. Many trials are part funded through the Government and others are privately funded.

Previous trials

Current trials