Law and Policy of Autonomous Vehicles in the UAE

It is no longer contestable that autonomous vehicles posit the future of automobile industry due to ongoing preoccupation of the automobile companies with the autonomous vehicle project. The prospect for investment is enormous owing to the scientific assumption that underpins the project. Technologically, autonomous vehicles are widely regarded as greener, cheaper and more efficient compared to non-automated vehicles. A fundamental challenge to the deployment of autonomous vehicles is absence of clear regulatory framework. Across the globe, nation states are racing towards pioneering the regulatory framework or possible customization of existing legal frameworks to effectively regulate the deployment of autonomous vehicles. The crux of the framework need to effectively cover diverse areas of law and policy that are either closely or remotely connected with the project. These includes safety standards, privacy issues, insurance, tort, civil and criminal liability etc. Current legislations, legal principles and concepts applicable to non-automated vehicles that had for long been tested are being questioned by the new technology. The research project would examine the existing UAE legislations, principles and concepts with a view to determine their suitability or otherwise in governing the deployment of autonomous vehicles in UAE. In the event, the current legislations are found to be ambiguous, or gap-laden, the project would aim towards designing a robust regulatory framework that would address the legal challenges posed by the deployment of autonomous vehicles.