CANBERRA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Self-driving cars are becoming more common, but Australian traffic laws are struggling to keep pace, according to new research led by Charles Darwin University (CDU).
The study to be published in the April edition of Computer Law & Security Review, highlights the "driver dilemma," where existing laws are written for human drivers, making it unclear how automated vehicles (AVs) fit into road regulations.
Most traffic laws, such as those requiring a driver to stop on command, assume a human is in control, according to researchers from CDU, Queensland University of Technology, and the University of Newcastle.
For instance, South Australia and Queensland define a driver as a "person," meaning AVs fall outside traditional legal enforcement. However, passenger transport laws, such as those governing taxis and hire cars, focus on vehicles rather than drivers, offering a potential template for adapting AV regulations, the study said.
"Automated transport futures need this alternative paradigm of road traffic regulation, and vehicle-centric rules should be a template for more adaptable road traffic laws," wrote lead author and CDU Senior Lecturer in Law Mark Brady.
Brady suggests these laws could guide reforms, ensuring authorities retain enforcement powers as automation expands.
"There is a suggestion that the familiar 'rules of the road' will not be needed in an automated vehicle future. However, in this future, roadside enforcement would still need powers to stop vehicles," Brady said.
Currently, Australia lacks a national AV framework, though efforts to develop one are underway. ■
