Dubai: Sheikh Mohammed passes driverless car regulation; fines increase, The law governs speed limits, licencing, and road markings.
On Friday, it was revealed that a new rule would be enacted in Dubai to govern the use of autonomous vehicles there.
New law on driverless vehicles in Dubai
His Majesty Law No. (9) of 2023 was published by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, with the intention of creating a regulatory environment that encourages the application of AI in the transportation sector. The programme also has the goal of attracting investments to the smart transportation sector and speeding up the emirate's transformation to it.
The activities will be governed by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), which will be responsible for defining the strategy, classifying autonomous vehicle types, and establishing technological, operational, and safety standards.
The authorities must also define the boundaries of the places in which autonomous vehicles will operate, as well as establish speed limits and a regulatory framework for their use.
Licences, penalties
Any operation involving an autonomous vehicle will require a licence, which will be issued by the RTA. The requirements for such licences are also laid down in legislation. A technical inspection by the authority and the ability to decipher road signs are prerequisites for registering a driverless vehicle.
Fines for breaking the law range from Dh500 to Dh20,000, and can be doubled for subsequent offences within the same calendar year. Infractions may incur a maximum fine of Dh50,000.
The duties of operators, agents, and passengers are all spelt out in detail under the new rule. Additionally, it lays forth the responsibilities of autonomous car owners in the event of an incident. All accident-related costs must be covered by the operators.
In Dubai, autonomous vehicles can only be bought and sold through official channels. Vehicle transfers between operators require prior authorisation from RTA.
Supporting RTA
To fulfil its mandate in the autonomous car industry, the RTA must have the assistance of all relevant government institutions in Dubai.
In cases where specific provisions of the new law are silent, the provisions of Federal Law No. (21) of 1995 Concerning Road Traffic, its executive rules and revisions, relevant decisions, and any legislation that replaced them must continue to apply.
The new law supersedes all previous laws that might be in conflict with it. After being published in the Official Gazette, Law No. (9) of 2023 will take effect 90 days later.
