The Automated Vehicles (Marketing Restrictions) Regulations 2026

Made: 1st July 2026

Laid before Parliament: 7th July 2026

Coming into force: 7th January 2027

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 78(1) of the Automated Vehicles Act 2024[^f00001] (“the Act”).

As required by section 97(2) of the Act, before making these Regulations, the Secretary of State has consulted with such representative organisations as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Automated Vehicles (Marketing Restrictions) Regulations 2026 and come into force on 7th January 2027.

• (2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland.

Restricted terms

2

• (1) Subject to paragraph (2), each of the following terms is a restricted term[^f00002]—

• (a) automated;

• (b) automated driving;

• (c) autonomous;

• (d) autonomous driving;

• (e) drive autonomously;

• (f) drive itself;

• (g) driverless;

• (h) self-driving.

• (2) The terms at sub-paragraphs (a) and (c) of paragraph (1) are restricted terms only when used to describe—

• (a) a vehicle as a whole, or

• (b) the overall driving functionality or capability of a vehicle.

• (3) A term listed in paragraph (1) includes—

• (a) variants of the term resulting from its assignment to a different part of speech, and

• (b) other grammatical forms of the term.

Signed

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State

Simon Lightwood — Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State — Department for Transport — 1st July 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations set out a list of restricted terms for the purposes of section 78 of the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 (c. 10) (“the Act”). That section provides that restricted terms may be used in connection with road vehicles only if used in connection with authorised automated vehicles. Subject to potential defences provided for by section 78 of the Act, a person commits an offence by using a restricted term in connection with the promotion or supply of a road vehicle, or of a product intended for use as equipment of a road vehicle, if the road vehicle is not an authorised automated vehicle. An authorised automated vehicle is a road vehicle authorised under section 3 of the Act for use as an automated vehicle.

An Explanatory Memorandum and a de minimis assessment have been prepared and are published alongside this instrument at www.legislation.gov.uk.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2024 c. 10.

[^f00002]: “Restricted term” has the meaning given by section 78(8) of the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 (c. 10).