In a number of countries around the world, driverless cars controlled by artificial intelligence and sensor technologies have already been put into real use. In these vehicles, especially those used in taxi services, the passenger gets into the car and the vehicle moves to the designated address without the participation of a driver.
Is it possible to introduce such driverless vehicles in Azerbaijan in the coming years? What legal, technical, and infrastructure conditions are necessary for this in our country?
“Elchi” reports that transport expert Raqif Raufoğlu stated to Demokrat.az that the first important step regarding autonomous vehicles in Azerbaijan has already been taken:
“At the beginning of July this year, the Milli Majlis introduced relevant concepts into the legislation regarding autonomous vehicles. Until now, such a concept did not exist in the legislation at all. Currently, its legal framework is being formed, and the obligations of the relevant authorities are being determined.
This does not mean that driverless cars will be able to move freely in any area. In the first stage, they will operate only in specially permitted zones. This model is also applied in global practice. It is mainly about autonomous taxis used in passenger transport services, and their routes must be determined in advance.”
The expert added that for this system to work, an operator company must be identified, and its responsibility must be clearly regulated:
“At the same time, the rights and obligations of all parties involved in the process must be clearly formed. Autonomous cars move by analyzing traffic lights, road signs, traffic lanes, speed limits, and other road conditions through sensors, cameras, and other technologies. Therefore, before they start to be used, both technical systems and infrastructure must be extensively tested. Currently, the legal framework in this area has already been created. In the next stage, it is important to form the technical infrastructure, identify operators, and fulfill the obligations of the relevant authorities. Once this process is completed, it will be possible to introduce driverless cars in Azerbaijan in accordance with international practice.”