Automated vehicle national enforcement guidelines

Vehicles with automated functions are already on our roads. Examples include vehicles with driver assistance, partial automation or parking assistance.

Many of our transport laws, including the Australian Road Rules, are based on the idea that the driver is in control of the vehicle. The Australian Road Rules require that a driver exercises proper control of the vehicle. National enforcement guidelines are needed to clarify what this means for vehicles with automated functions.

Purpose of the guidelines

We have developed national enforcement guidelines that cover three key issues:

  1. who is in control of, and therefore legally responsible for, an automated vehicle
  2. examples of human driver behaviours that indicate proper control at different levels of automation
  3. enforcement interaction with automated vehicles.

They have been drafted for immediate use, are intended to work within current legislation and are technology neutral.