A self driving license: Ensuring autonomous vehicles deliver on the promise of safer roads

Abstract

Upon maturation, autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to provide significant benefit to society. A breadth of partially autonomous systems are already commercially available, and vehicles with advanced capabilities are tested and deployed on public roads. Although the advancement of AV technology is highly anticipated, the future of the industry currently rests on uncertain ground with respect to regulatory oversight. The current industry standards and legal regulations which apply to AVs are only equipped to fully ensure that simple autonomous capabilities are safe. As vehicles become more autonomous, and as driving decisions are shifted from human to computer, a regulatory paradigm shift will be necessary. This article reviews the present state of AV safety standards and regulations, and discusses the potential for regulatory evolution.