Saudi Arabia has introduced new traffic regulations governing self-driving vehicles, establishing legal responsibilities for owners and operators and setting out requirements for the operation and oversight of autonomous vehicles.
The amendments, approved by His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, Minister of Interior, and published in the official gazette Umm Al-Qura, add several provisions to the Executive Regulations of the Traffic Law relating to vehicles capable of operating without human intervention.
The new regulations address matters including vehicle deregistration, legal accountability, traffic compliance and accident-related responsibilities for autonomous vehicles.
Under the amended rules, owners seeking to deregister a self-driving vehicle must obtain approval from the relevant authority before the vehicle’s traffic record can be canceled.
According to the regulations, this requirement is intended to ensure that applicable technical and regulatory procedures related to autonomous vehicles are completed before they are removed from official records.
The amendments also exempt fully autonomous vehicles from traditional driver authorization provisions. The Ministry of Interior said requirements related to conventional driving authorizations will not apply to vehicles that operate without human intervention while in motion.
Legal responsibility for compliance
The updated regulations clarify responsibility for compliance with traffic laws and regulations.
For autonomous vehicles that require human supervision, drivers must comply with applicable traffic rules while the vehicle is operating.
For fully autonomous vehicles that operate without human intervention, legal responsibility will be assigned to the vehicle owner, who will be regarded as the accountable party under the law.
Traffic violations and accident responsibilities
The amendments require owners of fully autonomous vehicles to comply with regulations related to road signs, traffic signals, reflectors, and right-of-way provisions for emergency vehicles and official convoys.
The regulations also extend accident-related obligations and traffic violation penalties to owners of fully autonomous vehicles.
Traffic violations covered under the regulations include fines, vehicle impoundment, and other penalties stipulated under Saudi traffic laws.
The General Directorate of Traffic said the amendments are intended to facilitate the operation of autonomous vehicles that are capable of making driving decisions independently, whether they operate with or without a human driver present.
Framework for autonomous mobility
Saudi authorities said the changes are intended to support road safety and ensure that traffic regulations keep pace with developments in transportation technologies and autonomous mobility systems.
Self-driving vehicles use technologies such as artificial intelligence, cameras, radar, and LiDAR sensors to monitor their surroundings, process information in real time, and navigate road conditions.
These technologies range from advanced driver-assistance systems to fully autonomous vehicles capable of operating without driver intervention.
