Australia’s National Transport Commission (NTC) has revealed plans to draft a national law for self-driving cars.

Scheduled to become effective by 2020, the new driving law will guide manufacturers and operators to understand legal framework and accelerate the introduction of self-driving technology in the country.

It will also allow an automated driving system (ADS) to drive more vehicles in place of a human.

NTC chief executive Paul Retter said: “With automated vehicles, there will be times when an ‘automated driving system’, rather than a human, will be in control of the vehicle. We need a nationally consistent law to know who is in control of a motor vehicle at any point in time.

“Without a change to existing laws or new law, there would be no-one to hold responsible for compliance with our road rules when an automated driving system is in control of a vehicle.”

“We need a nationally consistent law to know who is in control of a motor vehicle at any point in time.”

The announcement comes in the backdrop of a meeting of Australian transport ministers on 18 May 2018, during which they agreed to bring a uniform law across all states and territories to ensure there is always a legal entity in charge of driving when an automated driving system is engaged.

Subsequently, the NTC proposed the introduction of a uniform regulation to allow an automated driving system and ensure a legal entity is always answerable for driving. The proposal will also determine obligations on relevant entities, including the ADS entity, and offer flexible compliance and enforcement options.

Over the last two years, the NTC discussed with government and industry with a discussion paper on changing driving laws to support automated vehicles.

After ministers’ approval, the NTC will work with road agencies and transport departments to develop the detailed policy recommendations and legislative analysis necessary to establish the new purpose-built national law by 2020.

Retter added: “This is a considerable change to national road transport laws, to support the significant changes we see coming in transport technology.”