The road to self-driving vehicles Asta Zero symposium 18 October 2016 Jonas Bjelfvenstam, Inquiry chair, Inquiry into self-driving vehicles on the road, Director General VTI
Background The inquiry has submitted an interim report with regard to the performance of trials (SOU 2016:28). The inquiry shall submit a final report on the introduction of driver-assisting technology and fully or partly self-driving vehicles on roads by 28 November 2017 at the latest.
Interim report It is proposed that trials using vehicles at all levels of automation shall be governed by a special law. The body applying for a permit the test organisation must comply with specific requirements in order to be granted a permit to perform trials. The Swedish Transport Agency is the licensing and supervisory authority When the vehicle is in self-driving mode, criminal liability shall be borne by whoever applied for the permit. New regulations on camera surveillance need to be incorporated into the trial legislation.
Points of departure for the investigative process Better legal conditions for the introduction of self-driving vehicles on public roads. Analyse problems and opportunities with regard to vehicles, infrastructure, traffic regulations, driver qualifications, liability issues, privacy and data security....and other issues which the investigation identifies as relevant. Submit the required legislative proposals.
The investigation predicts a future in which there will be a great variety of selfdriving vehicles carrying out a number of different types of tasks.
Three lines of development which are coinciding? Automation => a physical driver is replaced by an automated driving system Data exchange => the connected vehicle A fossil-free Sweden => electric vehicles
Seven sub-areas 1. Sustainable transport system 2. Users/consumers/passengers/other road users 3. Commercial traffic/working environment 4. Cities/towns/rural communities 5. Technology 6. Transport infrastructure 7. Transport information/data
Some major issues Public sector obligation Issue of liability Data/Information Coexistence
What is covered by the public sector obligation in respect of self-driving vehicles and at what societal level?
Normal reasons for a public sector obligation External effects and the common good Long time horizon Lack of information and autonomy Market and competition issues Allocation and stabilisation policy International agreements
Examples of potential public sector obligations for self-driving vehicles Regulation Infrastructure in the form of roads, IT infrastructure Traffic information services including map data and geodata Cloud Etc
High time to start planning! Future infrastructure investments and maintenance? Infrastructure bill? The National Negotiation on Housing and Infrastructure, e.g. eastern bypass around Stockholm? 5G-network? Planning work and urban development, parking? Public transport?
Transport information Privacy Who owns the data, who has access to it and how can it be used? What type of information should be regarded as shared? Compulsory sharing? Who is responsible for information that affects the vehicle? Data security
Different types of responsibility/liability *Responsibility for driving *Responsibility for the load *Liability in interaction with other road users *Liability for fellow passengers *Responsibility not to drive when under the influence of drugs, when tired etc *Responsibility for ensuring the vehicle is roadworthy *Responsibility for holding a driving licence *Liability in special legislation
Ethical laws for self-driving vehicles? 1. A self-driving vehicle should not collide with/drive into pedestrians or cyclists. 2. A self-driving vehicle should not collide with/drive into another vehicle, if avoiding the collision does not come into conflict with the first rule. 3. A self-driving vehicle should not collide with another object in the surrounding area, if avoiding the collision does not come into conflict with the first and second rules. 4. A self-driving vehicle should obey traffic laws, if the enforcement of such laws does not conflict with the first three rules. (Gerdes, Thornton 2015)
Coexistens for how long?
Coexistence and trust We must feel safe in and around an automated vehicle. We must always know what an automated vehicle is doing. We must feel that we are in control of an AV. We must feel confident that we can engage in other activities instead of driving while riding in an automated vehicle.
Regulation Global level, mainly the Vienna and Geneva Conventions (drivers and vehicles) EU level, e.g. the General Data Protection Regulation, the Driving Licences Directive and the rules on driving time and rest periods National level, e.g. the Roads Act, the Swedish Penal Code or municipal regulations Standards, e.g. SAE
Planning requirements and continuing major need for knowledge!