Establishing an in-service safety regulatory regime for automated vehicles

In early 2022, transport and infrastructure ministers approved the national in-service safety framework for automated vehicles in Australia.

The framework strikes a balance between aligning with international standards and addressing Australia’s unique conditions.

We consulted with stakeholders to understand:

• how the framework could best achieve national outcomes
• potential gaps
• the potential impacts on different sectors.

Feedback from governments and industry was considered and incorporated into the final framework. Now it's been approved, we’ll work with the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts to turn it into a national law.

In 2020, ministers agreed to work towards establishing a national approach to regulating automated vehicles when they are commercially deployed on our roads.

Ministers agreed the approach will include a national regulator and a national law, supported by a general safety duty. Our work since then has further developed the approach to establish the detailed content of the national law.

To read further documents, head to our publications page.

If you'd like to express interest in the program, or ask us a question about our work, we'd like to hear from you.

You can contact us at automatedvehicles@ntc.gov.au