Shared automated mobility : the legal and governance considerations

Abstract

Automated vehicle technology is a fast-growing phenomenon which has, in recent years, found itself at the forefront of research projects being carried out in jurisdictions all over the world, and is a vital component to the modern revolution of the transport sector in the race against climate change. However, attaining a world with driverless cars and digital infrastructure, which eliminates the role of the driver, requires a detailed study from multiple aspects, including from a legal and governance perspective. A holistic, proportionate, and harmonised approach towards a dedicated body of legislation, which strikes the right balance between safeguarding consumers and a free market, is crucial to reaping the full potential of this technology, as the demand for alternative mobility solutions increases. This paper considers the legal impacts, which automated vehicles are expected to have on mobility, analysing in particular the challenges posed, the adequacy of existing legal systems, and the improvements that need to be made, on the basis of international research, with a particular focus on Malta. Project MISAM (Malta’s Introduction of Shared Autonomous Mobility) was launched specifically for the purpose of assessing the viability of enabling the use of automated vehicles in Malta, including from a legal and governance perspective.