Azerbaijan preparing to introduce autonomous vehicles
Azerbaijan preparing to introduce autonomous vehicles
Azerbaijan is proposing the introduction of autonomous vehicles, including automobiles, rail, metro, trams, sea, and air transport, Olaylar informs.
This is envisaged by amendments to the Merchant Shipping Code, the laws "On Road Traffic," "On Transport," "On State Duties," "On the List of Items that May Belong to Certain Participants in Civil Circulation and Are Permitted for Circulation Based on a Special Permit (Items with Limited Civil Circulation)," "On Automobile Transport," and "On Aviation."
The document was submitted for discussion at todaychr("39")s meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, and Entrepreneurship.
The bill aims to create a regulatory, technological, and institutional framework for the use of autonomous vehicles.
Specifically, the legislation introduces the concepts of "autonomous vehicle," "operator," and "remote control center" to regulate autonomous transport environments (in merchant shipping, aviation, rail, metro, tram, and road transport), and establishes high and fully automated control levels. The concepts of an autonomous vehicle, its operator, remote control center, and automated control system are defined, along with the requirements for them, as well as the responsibilities of the operator and vehicle owner.
It is proposed that autonomous vehicles be operated only after state registration in a territory determined by authorized government agencies.
A legal entity or individual may operate as an operator after receiving the appropriate certificate. The operator is required to monitor the operation of the automated control system during operation, intervene promptly in the event of a threat to its operation, ensure the storage and protection of data related to the operation of the vehicle, and immediately notify the relevant government agencies in the event of an accident, disaster, or incident.
Additionally, measures are envisaged to evaluate the effectiveness of automated control systems for autonomous vehicles within a regulatory test environment, and the liability of the owner (holder) or operator (if acting as the owner) of a vehicle for damage caused by its operation is specified.
Certificates for individuals and legal entities to operate as operators will be issued for five years. A state fee of 20 manats ($11.76) is established for issuing a certificate for operator activity. Remote control centers must be established, and data generated during operation must be transmitted to the state information system in real time. Data protection: information transmitted to the state system must be recorded and stored by operators for 6 months.
Provisions are made for testing autonomous vehicles in a regulatory test environment, as well as the designation of specific traffic zones on roads, in airspace, and at sea.
A special identification sign, "Autonomous Vehicle," is used to identify autonomous vehicles of the automobile category. The circulation of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for civilian purposes is included in the list of items requiring special permission.