With effect from 1 July 2019, public road tests involving self-driving vehicles without drivers present are allowed under certain conditions.
Name in original language
Experimental Law on Self-driving Vehicles
Initiative overview
On 1 July, the new Experimental Law on Selfdriving vehicles enabling experiments of self-driving cars was enacted. Currently, cars with automated functions supporting the driver such as adaptive cruise control, automatic parking, and lane-keeping systems are already driving the roads. However, these are not self-driving vehicles as the ones that are currently being developed by car manufacturers. The Netherlands has allowed public road testing of self-driving cars since 2015, but up until now, a driver always had to be present in the vehicle. This new Experimental Law also enables remote-driver tests. In addition to minibuses, the tests can also involve, e.g., moving motorway roadblocks with remote drivers. The tests are subject to several conditions and restrictions. For example, the traffic safety risks must demonstrably be minimised, and the remote driver must always hold a valid driver's licence. Furthermore, the tests to be conducted on a specific road or road section will be confined to a limited timeframe. Feedback regarding the outcomes of the experiment must be provided to the Netherlands Vehicle Authority RDW.The initiative has the following objectives:To prepare Dutch roads and ensure futureproof legislation to accommodate autonomous vehicles.
Name of responsible organisation (in English)
Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
