Automated Vehicles Act 2024: Getting Dealers Ready for the New Autonomous Age

The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 marks the UK’s leap into the future of transport. While fully autonomous vehicles are not yet ready to hit the showrooms, they’ll be here sooner than some think. Current estimates are that by early 2026 the first AVs will arrive on British roads. That gives dealers and industry constituents a fairly cozy window to adapt, strategise, and get ready for the new normal.

A Primer on the Act

The Act itself isn’t just a set of rules; it’s a blueprint for an AV-ready UK. It creates a framework and requires manufacturers and dealers to understand not only autonomous tech but also their legal responsibilities. In a nutshell, here is what it establishes:

Safety Standards as the Bedrock: The Act mandates that any vehicle classified as autonomous must meet rigorous safety standards to protect passengers, pedestrians, and other road users. Think of it as a digital MOT on steroids: Self-driving cars must not only be mechanically sound but also cyber-secure and foolproof in interpreting road situations.

Who’s Responsible? A Framework for Liability: Crucially, the Act doesn’t put the blame on the driver (or “occupant,” as the Act now diplomatically calls them) when the car is in full control. Instead, responsibility falls on the “authorised self-driving entity”—typically the manufacturer or the software provider. This clear allocation of blame is designed to give occupants peace of mind, but it also places significant weight on companies to get it right.

While the “authorised self-driving entity” will not be dealers, there are several situations in which dealers could find themselves on the front lines for liability when things go wrong. We’ll discuss these below.

The Car as a Witness: To enforce accountability, AVs will have to be equipped with “black boxes” or data recorders that capture essential information during each journey. These data logs serve as a critical tool for investigations and insurance claims, laying out a reliable record of what happened, down to the last turn.

Insurance and Compensation: Recognising the dual-control nature of AVs (human- and self-driven), the Act requires insurance policies that cover both modes. In practice, this means that in an accident involving an AV, injured parties will be able to claim compensation irrespective of who, or what, was in the driver’s seat.

Short-Term Impacts on Dealers: Preparing for the Shift

With the market’s first true autonomous vehicles projected to arrive in 2026, dealers have a window to prepare. But time moves fast and there’s a lot to consider, especially if you want to be AV-ready for those early adopters.

Sharpening Sales Skills for an Autonomous Future

Right now, customers might still be buying cars for their horsepower or sleek interiors. In a few years they may be just as interested in autonomy level, safety features, and tech reliability. Given that fully autonomous vehicles are likely to be sold alongside vehicles with more driving assistance features but that are not fully autonomous, the room for misunderstandings will increase.

Sales teams will need to understand and articulate the sometimes fine distinctions between driver-assist systems and fully autonomous functionality. After all, nobody wants a lawsuit because a buyer thought they were getting a new “self-driving” car that could do all the work when, in fact, they were getting a new car with advanced driver assistance that falls short of full autonomous driving.

To bridge this knowledge gap, dealers will need to develop comprehensive training sessions around AV technology, safety protocols, and consumer rights under the new law. Salespeople should become as fluent in discussing algorithmic decision-making as they are in talking fuel efficiency.

Marketing with Precision and Transparency

The Automated Vehicles Act isn’t playing around when it comes to honesty.

Although the Act places primary responsibility for autonomous operation on manufacturers, dealers are the first point of contact for consumers and will be expected to explain clearly AV capabilities.

Marketing and sales statements that overstate or overpromise on a vehicle’s autonomous capabilities could expose dealers to significant fines and liabilities. Dealers need to ensure that promotional materials and verbal sales representations are crystal clear about what a vehicle can and cannot do autonomously. Misleading customers, even inadvertently, could expose dealers to claims under consumer protection laws.

Overhauling Service and Aftercare Readiness

Selling autonomous vehicles means selling a tech product as much as a car, and this requires new skills in the service bay. AVs come with complex software that requires updates, cybersecurity checks, and diagnostics. Ensuring that service personnel are trained and facilities are equipped for this means an investment in both time and tech.

Data logging requirements will likely result in more frequent diagnostic checks, especially if customers want reassurance that their vehicle is still performing to legal standards. Dealers who plan for these needs now—whether by investing in specialised training or technology—will have a significant advantage in the new AV market.

Longer-Term Implications for Dealers: Adjusting to an Autonomous Market

The arrival of AVs won’t just change the type of cars on offer; it will redefine the role of dealerships over the long term. Once the first AVs are cruising down British roads, here’s how dealers might expect to see their roles evolve:

Moving Beyond the Traditional Sales Model

With autonomous technology in play, the traditional dealer model of “sell it and see you in a year for a service” could fade. Customers will likely rely more on dealers not just for purchasing, but for regular software updates, upgrades, training, and tech support. Dealerships might start to resemble tech support centres as much as car showrooms.

In fact, dealers could become long-term “AV partners” for customers, helping them navigate not only upgrades but also legal considerations, such as AV insurance requirements or the finer points of safety compliance. This could create a recurring revenue stream through premium support services, elevating dealerships from sales centres to lifetime service providers.

Leading Public Perception and Building Trust

Public trust in AVs will be essential to adoption, and dealers will play a frontline role. Customers who might be hesitant about a “car that drives itself” need knowledgeable and reliable guidance to understand how AVs function. Dealers who can have informed, open discussions about safety features, accident scenarios, and AV capabilities are more likely to convert sceptics into confident AV owners.

These conversations will be pivotal. Autonomous vehicles might be a technical leap forward, but many people still feel a sense of unease about putting their safety in the hands of AI. Dealers who can build this trust, dispelling fears and answering questions, will not only stand out in the early AV market but also shape the public’s broader perception of self-driving cars.

The Road Ahead: A Smooth Drive with Some Sharp Turns

The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 is a bold move that positions the UK as a global leader in autonomous regulation, but it’s just the beginning of a long road. Dealers are uniquely positioned to guide consumers through this transformation, balancing excitement with responsibility. With the right preparation, dealerships can move into this autonomous future as trusted AV experts, giving buyers the confidence to embrace the self-driving experience.

While the AVs might not be here just yet, the clock is ticking. Those first vehicles could roll off the line in 2026, but with the Act in place now, there’s no time like the present for dealers to start paving the way for the autonomous age. With thoughtful preparation and a commitment to transparency, dealerships can make the transition a smooth journey for everyone involved—even if no one’s holding the wheel.