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Draft bill facilitates autonomous car usage in the Czech Republic

Czech Republic
20/06/2018
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An amendment has been introduced before Parliament on the Act on Operation Surface Communications, which will provide the legal foundations for autonomous car usage in the Czech Republic (the “Amendment”). The Amendment broadens the definition of a ‘driver’, which in addition to referring to the operator of a vehicle, will include the person who activates the vehicle. It also specifies the technical requirements for an autonomous vehicle and the permitted methods for the collection and processing of data.

The Amendment is considered as an introductory measure and it is expected to be adapted in the future as technology advances. In its current form, it will provide the right for autonomous cars to travel on highways and special parking buildings.

Out of the 6 levels of autonomous driving outlined in 2014 by SAE International, an automotive standardisation body, the Amendment relates to the third (so called “eyes-off”) level, where there is an expectation that a human driver will respond appropriately to a request to intervene and the car is expected to indicate such necessity safely in advance.

The Amendment shares strong similarities with respective automotive laws adopted in Germany in 2017, where autonomous cars are being tested and projected to be commercially available on the market from 2019, however it falls short of being as conducive and comprehensive to technological advancement in the industry as its German counterpart.

In the Czech Republic autonomous driving technologies are currently being tested on several closed polygons and more polygons and related facilities are expected to be built in the foreseeable future.

Although the Amendment does not facilitate the usage of autonomous cars to the same extent as California or Germany, which provide for the testing of such vehicles in regular traffic, it places the Czech Republic at the forefront of regulatory reform in this novel and rapidly developing technological sphere.

We will monitor the progress of the Amendment and provide further information when available.

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