Automated vehicles (AVs) bring the potential to change road transport through improvements to road safety, mobility, freight productivity and reduced traffic congestion. The introduction of AV technology will impact everyone who interacts with Australian roads, not just those who use AVs .
So, to help to realise these benefits we’re developing an end-to-end regulatory framework for the safe, commercial deployment of AVs to Australian roads.
Our existing laws are designed for the use of traditional vehicles with human drivers. AVs are set to change the way we move people and freight on our roads. Before AVs are introduced to Australian roads, we need new laws to manage their safety and support seamless integration into our existing road network.
To achieve this, the NTC works in close partnership with the Australian Government and state and territory governments to develop nationally consistent laws governing the supply and use of AVs in Australia . Our goal is to create a nationally consistent end-to-end framework that supports the safe deployment and operation of AVs, at all levels of automation, in Australia.
As part of this, a new national law – the Automated Vehicle Safety Law – is being developed by the Australian Government with our support. This law will include safety duties, recognise new legal entities, and establish a new in-service safety regulator.
When the Automated Vehicle Safety Law is introduced, it will need to be supported by reforms to a wide range of other federal, state and territory laws to ensure the end-to-end framework operates as intended. The NTC coordinates a national program to develop the AV regulatory framework, including work to align state and territory laws and regulations to the new national safety law.
Our research has uncovered hundreds of state and territory laws and regulations that need updating for AVs to run on our roads. To promote national consistency in reforms, the NTC will develop model laws to guide these changes, including amendments to the model Australian Road Rules.
For more information about the AV regulatory framework and the new national safety law, see the AV safety reforms document.
In 2024 we partnered with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts to gather feedback from the public on AV safety reforms. The feedback gathered in that consultation will help inform the Australian Government’s development of the new Automated Vehicle Safety Law, as well as NTC's work on developing model reforms to state and territory laws.
The consultation is now closed and we are working through the submissions. You can learn more about the consultation and view the submissions we received here.
Our AV Program has reached a number of key policy milestone as we work towards developing end-to-end regulation to support the safe commercial deployment of AVs in Australia.
Some key papers include:
Australian governments support the safe, controlled testing of AVs through state and territory-based trial frameworks. Trials of AVs have already been conducted by a wide range of industry and research bodies across Australia under these arrangements.
Ongoing trialling of AVs is important to support industry in developing and refining the technology. Trials also help to educate the Australian community in how AVs will work when they are eventually introduced to Australia.
To support industry and research bodies seeking to trial AVs, the NTC has partnered with Austroads to publish guidelines for how to apply to trial AVs in your local jurisdiction. These guidelines are updated regularly.
Guidelines for trials of automated vehicles in Australia
The NTC leads national land transport reform. We do this in close partnership with Commonwealth, State and Territory governments.
Our partners in the AV Program are: