The National Transport Commission (NTC) is calling for input on the role and regulation of parties in the safe operation of unmanned vehicles on Australian roads.

Last year, Australia’s transport ministers decided that anyone wishing to sell autonomous cars must be self-certified in accordance with safety requirements. Ministers also agreed that Australia would develop a new purpose-built national law to regulate the on-road operation of automated vehicles.

As part of the NTC’s ongoing program of consultation, policy and legislative review and position recommendation rolls on, it has published a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) to collect feedback on the regulation and roles of various actors in light of the above decision.

Information released by the NTC states: ‘The RIS considers the role of manufacturers, repairers, registered owners and others, in supporting the safety of automated vehicles on Australian roads. It also considers the legal arrangements needed to support their safe operation.’

NTC Chief Executive Officer Gillian Miles said that the feedback is imperative to develop nationally compatible policies and regulations for the proper implementation in Australia of autonomous cars.

“We are considering the range of people who have a role in safety to ensure that automated vehicles are sufficiently regulated to be safe on our roads,” he said.

The feedback collected under the RIS will be analysed and presented to the ministers in the form of suggestions, in May next year.

You can access the RIS(PDF) and find out more about this phase of the NTC’s work on regulation for autonomous vehicles at their website.

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