Australia’s federal state and territory transport ministers havereed to a suite of 24 national policies on possible road rules for fully driverless cars.
One of the policies declares that a human driver will have full legal liability for a vehicle even if it is “partially or conditionally” automated.
Human drivers must also not undertake in-car activities currently banned under Australian road rules like speaking on a mobile phone even when a car is effectively driving itself.
The National Transport Commission is not expecting driverless cars to hit the mainstream until after 2020. However it is seeking to ensure that all states and territories come +with identical regulations.
It is advocating a liability scheme that places the onus on the manufacturer of an automated driving system to defendainst liability for a road accident “given that this entity will hold the data to demonstrate who was in control of the vehicle at a point in time”.
It has also said the wealth and states should regulate where and when law enforcement entities are able to access tracking data on autonomous cars in a way that balances safety with privacy.
