Requirements for the movement of autonomous vehicles are being set.
“Elchi” reports that this is reflected in the proposed amendment to the Law “On Road Traffic”, which was discussed at today’s meeting of the Milli Majlis.
According to the draft, an autonomous vehicle is a civil-purpose vehicle that moves through an automated driving system, moves on its own without direct or continuous human intervention, can bring itself into a safe movement mode when road traffic safety is violated or a malfunction occurs in the autonomous vehicle, and has an automated driving system that is either highly automated (the automated driving system is capable of fully performing all movement and environmental monitoring on a road and in an area determined by the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority in coordination with the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority, as well as independently bringing itself to a minimal risk state) or fully automated (the automated driving system is capable of fully performing all movement and environmental monitoring in any area, as well as independently bringing itself to a minimal risk state).
The operator of an autonomous vehicle is a person who holds a relevant certificate and ensures the operation of the autonomous vehicle’s automated driving system. A remote control center is a control point from which the operation of an autonomous vehicle’s automated driving system is ensured remotely.
A driver’s license is not required to monitor the operation of an autonomous vehicle’s automated driving system. If the technical parameters of the autonomous vehicle allow, the person directly operating the autonomous vehicle during manual control must have a driver’s license of the appropriate category.
An autonomous vehicle is allowed to participate in road traffic provided that it meets the established requirements, including after being registered by the state. An autonomous vehicle can only move in an area and on a road determined by the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority in coordination with the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority. The automated driving systems of autonomous vehicles must be integrated with a control monitoring center created by the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority for the purpose of monitoring the operation of these systems.
The control monitoring center has the following duties:
1) conducting monitoring and analysis of the movement of autonomous vehicles (provided that the requirements of normative legal acts regarding the protection of personal data are observed, including ensuring anonymity and confidentiality);
2) ensuring the storage of data generated in connection with the operation of autonomous vehicles;
3) taking measures to remove autonomous vehicles from road traffic in the following cases:
– when a malfunction is detected in the autonomous vehicle or its automated driving system;
– when cases of the autonomous vehicle going outside the determined area or road are detected;
– when road traffic conditions pose a threat to the operation of the autonomous vehicle.
Operators of autonomous vehicles have the following duties:
1) to monitor the operation of the autonomous vehicle’s automated driving system;
2) to provide operational intervention (related to stopping movement) by giving instructions to the system in accordance with warnings issued by the autonomous vehicle’s automated driving system when the operation of the autonomous vehicle poses a threat, when the autonomous vehicle goes outside the area or road determined by law, when external interference with the automated driving system occurs, or when malfunctions and emergencies (incidents) occur;
3) to place the contact information (mobile number and hotline) of the autonomous vehicle operator in a clearly visible place and in readable dimensions on the autonomous vehicle and ensure that the displayed contact information is always accessible while the autonomous vehicle is participating in road traffic;
4) to ensure the storage and protection of data related to the use of the autonomous vehicle covering the last 6 (six) months;
5) to ensure the transmission of data contained in the autonomous vehicle’s automated driving system to the relevant information system of the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority in real-time mode;
6) to monitor the operation of the autonomous vehicle’s automated driving system in accordance with the intended requirements;
7) in the event of a road traffic accident involving an autonomous vehicle, to ensure the autonomous vehicle stops, take measures to prevent threats to road traffic, human life, or property, and immediately inform the body (institution) defined by the relevant executive authority about this.
Natural and legal persons, including branches and representative offices of foreign legal entities, must obtain a certificate in the manner established by the Law “On Transport” to act as an operator.
If the operator is a natural person, they themselves, and if a legal entity, their employees who monitor the operation of the autonomous vehicle through the automated driving system, the automated driving system, and the remote control center must meet the requirements specified in the Law “On Transport”. The owner (possessor) of the autonomous vehicle must ensure that the vehicle is equipped with an “Autonomous Vehicle” identification sign, kept in a condition consistent with the technical and software requirements set by the manufacturer, that an operator with a relevant certificate is involved in the autonomous operation of the vehicle, and that operating rules and procedures for intervention (related to stopping movement) in case of malfunctions and emergencies (incidents) are obtained from the manufacturer. The owner (possessor) of the autonomous vehicle or the operator engaged by them on the basis of a civil law contract creates the remote control center, and the person creating said center ensures the regular updating of the center’s software, the provision of cybersecurity, and the conduct of security audits.
According to the draft, an “Autonomous Vehicle Identification Sign” is also defined. A blue rectangular identification sign with a white border, 200 mm wide and 250 mm high, is installed on the back of vehicles equipped with an automated driving system; to warn other road traffic participants, a car symbol with wireless transmission waves is depicted at the top of the board, and the words “AVTONOM NƏQLİYYAT VASİTƏSİ” are written in white at the bottom.
The draft law was put to a vote and adopted in the third reading.