US Federal policy on driverless vehicles - A blueprint for Australia?

The US Federal Automated Vehicles Policy is a critical step forward for that nation, and gives Australia a potential blueprint for the evolution of our regulatory framework.

In our recent report on regulating driverless vehicles in Australia, we noted the need for Australian Governments to amend our road laws to permit the use of more highly automated vehicles that don't require a human driver to constantly watch the road and remain ready to resume control of the vehicle if necessary.

Across the Pacific Ocean, the Federal Automated Vehicles Policy was unveiled on 20 September 2016 by the US Department of Transportation and its National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The long-awaited report represents the first US federal policy instrument addressing the multitude of risks and liability issues posed by highly automated vehicles (HAVs).