Advertisers, agencies, vehicle manufacturers and dealers have around 10 weeks left to review their marketing materials before the Automated Vehicles (Marketing Restrictions) Regulations 2026 come into force on 7 January 2027. The regulations have been made under the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 and restrict the use of certain terms associated with self-driving technology.
The rules aim to support fair competition, encourage investment in the development of authorised automated vehicles, protect road safety by mitigating confusion among drivers about what vehicles can do, and build public trust in self-driving technology.
What's changing?
From 7 January 2027, the following terms (and grammatical variations of them) will become "restricted terms" for marketing purposes:
- automated
- automated driving
- autonomous
- autonomous driving
- drive autonomously
- drive itself
- driverless
- self-driving
The government may add further terms to the list as marketing language changes.
The restricted terms may only be used in connection with an authorised automated vehicle. It is an offence to use a restricted term in connection with the promotion or supply of a road vehicle (or related vehicle equipment) if the vehicle is not an authorised automated vehicle.
The restrictions are particularly significant for manufacturers and marketers of vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, where there is a risk that advertising could imply a higher degree of automation than is legally recognised.
What should I do now?
With the rules taking effect in January, you should:
- audit websites, brochures, social media content and dealer marketing materials;
- review product names, feature descriptions and technical claims;
- assess whether terms such as "autonomous", "self-driving" or "driverless" are being used in relation to vehicles that are not authorised automated vehicles; and
- update approval and compliance processes for future campaigns.
What happens if I get it wrong?
The nominated enforcement agency, DVSA, will be responsible for market surveillance and for pursuing enforcement. Penalties include fines and up to two years' imprisonment.
Businesses should also take note of June's extension of corporate criminal liability to offences committed by senior managers, which marks a significant widening of an organisation's liability net.
It is worth noting that currently, the ASA would probably assess a complaint that an ad implied a vehicle had autonomous travel capabilities that it did not under misleading advertising rules (reflecting the rules on unfair commercial practices in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024).
