Developing autonomous mobility requires attention and action now
Regulatory changes are needed to support innovations
Regulatory changes regarding the EU-level legal framework and national regulations on deployment and development of shared autonomous public transport services are required urgently.
Legislative changes are also needed in securing the competitiveness of the EU in autonomous mobility.
What needs to be done?
There is an urgent need to change the regulation of autonomous mobility; for example, in relation to approval of an automated vehicle and recognition of national permits in different EU countries, and a need for a more flexible legal framework.
A harmonised legal framework on the EU level is also essential in ensuring the development of autonomous mobility and the forerunner status of the EU, even though the regulatory changes can start on the national level.
The Legal Framework report (opens as PDF)
Developing autonomous mobility requires attention and action now
Public transport service providers need to take a role in development
Lobbying is needed for regulatory changes that support innovation as well as local and national autonomous large-scale pilots; for example, road traffic law changes to permit the public use of completely autonomous vehicles in public transport.
The Legal Framework report (opens as PDF)
What you can do?
Procure these innovative services and engage in trials and long-term deployment in order to be prepared and active, not reactive.
Use this material to lobby for the regulatory changes needed on the EU and national levels.
Policy recommendations:�International Level
1. Encourage modification of relevant regulations in the UNECE rules and �the Vienna Convention on Road �Traffic so that driverless vehicles are�not prohibited under international law.
2. Promote international rules on liability; the rules on product liability are a good practice example.
Policy recommendations:�European Level
1. Establish a harmonized checklist that illustrates all possible legal problems related to the approval of an automated vehicle and adequate suggestions (guidelines) to overcome these problems with additional stipulations for a special permit or test plate certificate.
2. Promote mutual recognition of national permits in different EU countries.
Policy recommendations:�National Level
1. Promote road traffic law changes to permit the public use of completely autonomous vehicles in public transport.
2. Introduce an adequate definition of the term driver if the term is not yet legally defined. The definition should specify whether a driver is a natural person or not, respectively in or outside the vehicle.
3. Encourage the adaption of technical regulations to the new circumstances of automated driving.
4. Promote the establishment of a checklist that illustrates all possible legal problems related to the approval of an automated vehicle and adequate suggestions (guidelines) to overcome these problems with additional stipulations for a special permit or test plate certificate.
Policy recommendations:�National Level
5. Promote a more flexible legal framework, for example to allow for the establishment of ondemand services with automated vehicles without the need for special permits.
6. Simplify the permit process and balance licensing requirements with the ‘on-demand’ (onrequest) needs of transport service providers and recipients.
7. Promote training standardisation for automated vehicle drivers and operators by providing requirements for training content.
8. Promote a change to road traffic law so that liability for driverless vehicles is clearly regulated; it is advisable to clarify the division of responsibility and the regulation of producer liability in the Civil Law and the Road Traffic Law.
Policy recommendations:�National Level
9. Promote a sufficient insurance particularly for driverless vehicles.
10. Implement an additional compulsory insurance for the owner and the producer.
11. Clarify the subjects of criminal responsibility by separating the responsible persons for the technical maintenance of the vehicles from the responsible persons for the vehicle software.