Drivers will soon be allowed to park their cars using remote controls thanks to a rule change which the Government claims will revolutionise British roads.

The Department for Transport has launched a consultation on changing the Highway Code to legalize cars with new remote-control parking technology.

Using a key fob or a smartphone app drivers can press buttons to move backwards and forwards into spaces while sitting in their car or standing nearby it.

The remote control feature can make parking far easier for drivers with reduced mobility, as well as helping people get into tight parking spaces and small garages, officials said.

Under current rules drivers who push a button on their phone or key fob to park their car could be running the risk of a fine.

Such features are only allowed to be used on private land and not in public car parks or on roads. At present few car models offer remote control parking, however it is expected that the feature will become commonplace after the change is passed.

The move builds on previous consultations on automated driving and will be seen as a step towards the Government’s plan to see fully self-driving cars on UK roads by 2021.