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Friday 16 October 2020

Call for feedback on a national in-service safety law for automated vehicles

The National Transport Commission is seeking your views on the details of a national law which would regulate the safe operation of automated vehicles (AVs) once they are commercially deployed on our roads (known as ‘in-service’) in Australia.

The NTC Discussion Paper: A national in-service safety law for automated vehicles proposes the content of a new law, including:

• the roles of regulated parties and a new in-service regulator
• the compliance and enforcement framework 
• how the national law (to be called the Automated Vehicle Safety Law) will be legislatively implemented.

This work forms part of the NTC’s roadmap of reform aimed at developing a nationally consistent regulatory framework to support the safe commercial deployment of AVs in Australia. 

Your feedback will inform NTC recommendations to infrastructure and transport ministers in mid 2021.

Have your say

The NTC welcomes your feedback until consultation closes on 11 December 2020. You can provide this in several ways:

• provide a written submission via the NTC website
• respond to questions online via the NTC website
• register your interest for an online meeting by emailing automatedvehicles@ntc.gov.au 
• let us know how you want to be involved by emailing automatedvehicles@ntc.gov.au with your feedback.

Don’t forget to follow the NTC on Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest updates on this work.

Background

In 2018, transport and infrastructure minsters agreed to an approach for the safety of AVs when they are first brought onto the Australian market.

This approach involves mandatory self-certification against safety criteria by entities bringing automated driving systems (ADSs) under the existing Australian Design Rules framework. The Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications is currently implementing this. 

In June 2020, ministers also agreed to key elements of the approach for the safety of AVs while they are in service. They agreed that there will be a new national law which establishes a new national in-service regulator and a general safety duty on the entity responsible for an ADS. 

This discussion paper explores the content of this new national law for your feedback.

For more information about the in-service safety for automated vehicles work, visit the NTC website.

Have your say on reform options for a future Heavy Vehicle National Law

Thursday 25 June 2020

We are pleased to release the consultation regulation impact statement (RIS) as the basis for the next phase of engagement on the HVNL review.

We worked in partnership with governments, the regulator, police and the industry Expert Panel to develop a set of realistic policy reform options for a future HVNL. These are presented and analysed in the RIS.

Reform options cover access, fatigue, assurance, duties, regulatory tools, technology and data, and vehicles. These options are based on your feedback (including more than 250 formal submissions and 350 general submissions via the dedicated HVNL review website) and stakeholder meetings throughout 2019 and 2020.

Complementary document to accompany the RIS

A RIS is typically long and technical, so we’ve developed a complementary short-form document (HVNL 2.0) to outline one potential scenario for the future HVNL. This document, to be released shortly, is designed to describe how a future HVNL could work. We want to hear from you on how you think the new HVNL should work.

Get involved

The RIS represents an exciting step in delivering meaningful reform. The best way to shape the future law is to get involved and have your say. Your views will help us finalise policy options for ministers’ decision in the first half of 2021. 

We are taking a flexible approach to consultation plans and will host a range of online engagement sessions over the coming months. Let us know how you want to get involved by signing up on the HVNL microsite for future updates or emailing us at hvnlreview@ntc.gov.au.

Next steps

We are focused on consulting broadly and deeply over the next several months so you can contribute your views on these reform options. We will present formal policy proposals to ministers in the first half of 2021.

Review updates

For more information on the review timeline, upcoming key dates and further program updates, see the HVNL microsite and Twitter.

Release of updated trial guidelines for automated vehicles in Australia

2 December 2020

The National Transport Commission (NTC) today released updated Guidelines for trials of automated vehicles in Australia, which will ensure they remain fit for purpose as automated vehicle trials progress across the country.

The guidelines, a joint publication of the NTC and Austroads, were first published in 2017. Since then, trials of automated vehicles have taken place in every Australian state and territory. Trialling organisations and governments have found the guidelines a useful tool as they develop trial applications and operate trials.

In this first review, the NTC consulted with a broad cross-section of the transport community to understand the lessons learned from trials to date and how the guidelines may be updated to reflect these.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the review, including technology providers, transport operators, insurers, royal automobile clubs, road user groups, transport accessibility groups, consultants, academics and Commonwealth, state, territory and local governments.

For more information, visit the NTC website.

Updates on other NTC-led reforms

Infrastructure and transport ministers met on Friday 20 November and agreed to progress a number of key NTC-led reforms. These include: 

• Changes to the Australian Road Rules (ARRs) including updates to reflect the introduction of new wearable and portable technology devices that are potential distractions for drivers.
• Recognition of Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) in the ARRs, outlining restrictions on speed and the types of infrastructure they can be used on.
• Endorsing the establishment of a joint government-industry working group to explore the future potential of vehicle-generated data.
• Endorsing NTC recommendations to minimise the impact of inconsistencies in the requirements and implementation of laws for the land transport of dangerous goods, including a full review of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code.

For more information, read the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers Meeting communique.

Reminder: consultation closure

The NTC is currently consulting on the details of a new national law to regulate automated vehicles once they are commercially deployed on our roads, known as ''in service''.

You can provide feedback via a formal written submission, or by responding to questions on topics of interest using the online form.

Consultation closes on Friday 11 December 2020.

Consultation on heavy vehicle charges

Monday, 4 January 2021

The NTC is seeking feedback on the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers Meeting’s (ITMM) proposal to increase heavy vehicle charges by 2.5 per cent in 2021–22. The proposal was agreed at the ITMM teleconference on 21 December 2020.

ITMM has asked the NTC to consult on this proposal. We want to hear from industry and the public about the matters explored in the consultation report.

Following this consultation, all feedback will be provided to ITMM and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development for consideration. 

Consultation closes Friday, 12 March 2021.