Europe is Leading the Way with Autonomous Vehicle

This study reviews the present legal framework suggested by the EU and its member states for the deployment and use of autonomous cars.

FREMONT CA: Autonomous car regulations are blooming up around the world, particularly in Europe. Therefore, whether the development of technology that can put vehicles on the road or the adoption of a legal framework for such technology and its safe usage on public roads is being pushed ahead of the other. The innovation of technology is also driven by a gradual shift in the automotive industry landscape. Legislators bear a significant amount of responsibility for ensuring the safe and long-term commercialization of automated and self-driving vehicles. While they have only controlled the car, they must create a legal framework for drivers in an automated driving system (ADS).

Besides addressing this issue, the framework for the responsible use of an ADS will be provided by a recent amendment to the Vienna Convention developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's (UNECE) Global Forum for Road Traffic Safety, which is set to enter into force around March 2022. Meanwhile, the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations and its Working Party on Automated/Autonomous and Connected Vehicles (GRVA) of the UNECE are working to harmonize international technical AV criteria.

The EU Commission, particularly the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and SMEs (DG GROW), is also working hard to provide a legal framework. Furthermore, the draft for an EU AI Regulation addresses the rising automation and connectivity of automated vehicles and the issues of ethics and cyber security. Overall, the EU ADS Regulation progressed in a favorable direction in 2021, albeit industry participants and associations and some EU member states continue to debate 

The potential of autonomous vehicles in Europe is enormous, and legislative advances that will allow for regular use of this technology on public roads are encouraging. Establishing an ADS necessitates a great deal of technical and specialized knowledge. Numerous initiatives are underway to provide for this as new entrants enter the market and form alliances between multifarious industry actors. Regulators in Europe have a significant chance to set an example for other countries worldwide.