Traditional vehicle manufacturers are progressively introducing higher levels of automation into vehicles on the public market. Gradually we are getting closer to having vehicles on our roads that, in certain scenarios, can drive themselves without human intervention. These concepts have raised questions about whether Australia’s current regulatory regime can support highly or fully automated vehicles on public roads, or shared railways. Issues such as interaction between road transport, rail safety and consumer protection laws, as well as liability and insurance, and common law requirements need to be addressed. In November 2015, the Transport and Infrastructure Council asked us to identify whether there are any regulatory or operational barriers associated with the introduction of more automated road and rail vehicles in Australia. Our project will complement other research and project activities undertaken by Austroads, road agencies and other organisations. These include Austroads projects related to assessing the safety benefits of automated vehicles, any impacts on registration and licencing processes and any impacts of automated vehicle on network infrastructure. We will work with these organisations to ensure a coordinated approach is adopted and we can share knowledge and outcomes. Automated vehicles are already having a significant impact on markets, public policy and the community. Clarifying what is required for the different levels of automated vehicles to legally operate across Australian jurisdictions is needed to support innovation, investment and consumer confidence. Examining whether our current regulatory regimes can support trials and conditional, highly or fully automated vehicles will result in: improved understanding of the current regulatory system and its ability to continue to support increased vehicle automation (both road and rail) identification of any regulatory or operational barriers to be removed or overcome and potential time pressures or options a nationally-consistent approach for increased vehicle automation with a single regulatory approach (as far as possible with emerging technology). We are engaging with manufacturers, technology providers, policy-makers, road agencies and community groups to identity and address the regulatory issues. Regulatory barriers to more automated road and rail vehicles issues paper was released in February 2016. The issues paper provides an overview of current rules, identifies issues and potential solutions and scopes the parameters of the project. Key issues for road vehicles relate to: clarity over control of the vehicle and compliance with traffic laws vehicle standards and safety assurance liability and responsibility for the actions of an automated vehicle; and data access and privacy protection — including access for enforcement purposes. The submissions process for this issues paper has closed and we are currently considering this feedback in the analysis and development of options in a discussion paper which will be published in mid-2016. The discussion paper will provide a second opportunity for stakeholders to submit additional feedback on regulatory barriers and proposed options. (Author/publisher)
Abstract