AVs on Singapore roads: Public views sought to shape new laws in areas like accident payouts

The public can provide feedback to shape new laws governing autonomous vehicles (AVs) on Singapore’s roads, including in areas such as accident compensation and the responsibility of operators.

The laws will assure the public of the safety of driverless vehicles and provide “legal clarity” in how businesses operate them, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said on May 4.

They will set out safety regulations, as well as liability, insurance and enforcement regimes for the operation of driverless vehicles, with the ministry saying that the aim is to develop and table an AV Act in Parliament in 2027.

The public consultation, held from May 4 to June 30, will focus on four areas: responsibility of key players; compensation and insurance; data management and cybersecurity; and liability issues pertaining specifically to handovers between human drivers and conditional automated systems.

In terms of the responsibility of key players that deploy AVs, the consultation aims to solicit views on how best to regulate them.

These players are the firms in charge of AV technology, fleet operators, safety operators who are on board the vehicles, and remote operators.

As Singapore shifts towards fully driverless operations, there should also be a shift from individual responsibility to corporate responsibility, as individuals have relatively less control over the vehicles, said MOT’s consultation paper.

The ministry proposed a two-tier structure in the area of corporate responsibility – for AVs that are in their research and development phase and being tested, and for those that have already been deployed commercially.

In the event of an accident, if the AVs are still in their testing phase and the system has prompted the safety operator to take over, the safety operator is subject to prevailing traffic offences if it is deemed the accident occurred because of his actions, which include failing to take manual control of the vehicle within a reasonable time.

Once such vehicles are under full commercial deployment, then various players will be held accountable for different areas.

The firm in charge of AV technology will be held responsible through licensing, which includes fulfilling local corporate requirements as well as demonstrating technical competency, among other things.

The fleet operator is responsible for meeting requirements related to the management of operations and maintenance, such as ensuring proper software updates.

Safety operators and remote operators will be expected to perform according to their roles, with safety operators supposed to intervene when necessary, while remote operators need to respond to system alerts in accordance with standard operating procedures.

MOT said the Government is considering implementing vocational licences or certification for the roles of safety and remote operators.

Regarding compensation and insurance, considerations include keeping premiums affordable and ensuring that payouts are timely, while also being able to cover new risks, such as cyberattacks on AVs.

Any difference in motor insurance for AVs and normal vehicles could create distortions, said the ministry.

For example, if AVs are given stronger protections, AV operators may take less care to ensure safety, while the drivers of other vehicles may choose to collide with them over normal vehicles because it would be easier to get an insurance payout.

“On the other hand, given that AV technology is new, more favourable treatment for victims of accidents involving AVs could be justifiable as we scale up AV deployment and build public confidence,” MOT said.

The ministry set out three possible options for timely compensation, one of which is a “victim-first” model where AV insurance pays out in full if an AV has caused an accident.

Recovery from other parties at fault will take place subsequently, but MOT said this could lead to higher premiums as AV insurers may find it difficult to recover funds.

Since large amounts of data are collected by AVs, MOT said it also hopes to get feedback on matters related to data management and cybersecurity.

It has already outlined several data sets for collection, with the data being retained for three years. These include information such as on-board video camera footage and vehicle location, which can be used in the event that an incident occurs on board.

Finally, the consultation is seeking views on liability issues in the event that accidents happen during the transfer of control between a person and the automated system.

At present, autonomous vehicles are classified into different categories by SAE International.

For those classified as Level 3 – which can function autonomously under specific conditions, but require human drivers to take over if the system cannot perform a task – the UK already implements a set amount of time for the transition.

This is likely derived from the reasonable human reaction time with a buffer.

Upon elapsing, the human driver is expected to have full situational awareness and, by law, is considered to be in control of the AV.

Through the consultation, MOT hopes to determine if a similar approach should be adopted for vehicles with the same classification level.

Human error involving AVs has happened in Singapore.

In January, a ComfortDelGro AV undergoing routine mapping and familiarisation in Punggol hit a road divider.

This occurred after the safety operator took manual control of the vehicle, but was unable to complete the manoeuvre in time.

The AV had detected an object that was not on the road and automatically drove into the adjacent lane as a precaution, which prompted the safety operator to intervene.

Those wishing to take part in the public consultation can submit their views through go.gov.sg/avpublicconsult

Punggol has become a test bed for AVs, with Grab and ComfortDelGro testing their offerings in the estate with safety operators.

Since April 1, the public has been able to try Grab’s autonomous shuttles for free.

The rides, covering three routes, will eventually cost a flat fare of $4 per passenger. Revenue service starts from the middle of 2026, and a discounted fare will be charged initially.

ComfortDelGro has also invited Punggol residents and grassroots community leaders to try its autonomous shuttle service for free since April 7, before bookings are rolled out to the rest of the public.

Those trying the service can choose between two routes.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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