חוק לתיקון פקודת התעבורה (מס' 130), התשפ"ב–2022Law to Amend the Motor Transport Ordinance (No. 130), 2022 · automatic translation · suggest a correction

Official summary of the law (Knesset)

Amendment No. 130 to the Traffic Ordinance (hereinafter - the Ordinance) establishes an arrangement intended to lay a normative foundation for conducting trials of the operation of autonomous vehicles in commercial operation on Israel's roads, including for the purpose of transporting passengers for payment (until now, trials of autonomous vehicles have been conducted under the Traffic Regulations, but only in non-commercial operation and with a driver present in the vehicle). Autonomous vehicles are vehicles in which a computerized autonomous driving system replaces the driver. Under the Amendment, operators of autonomous vehicles will be required to obtain an operating permit from the Traffic Controller at the Ministry of Transport and Road Safety, subject to conditions set out in the Amendment, including that the operator must be a company registered in Israel, as well as conditions relating to cyber protection. Holders of an operating permit will be responsible for all aspects of the vehicle's operation as if they were the vehicle's owner, including for exceptional incidents occurring during the trial operation. Operating permits will be valid for 3 years and may be extended for additional periods, provided that the total of all periods does not exceed 9 years. The Amendment to the Ordinance includes adjustments to the provisions of the Traffic Ordinance required due to the unique characteristics of operating an autonomous vehicle as a vehicle with no driver seated in it. In this context, the Minister of Transport is granted authority to establish in Regulations an exemption from the application of the Ordinance's provisions, or provisions that will replace the Ordinance's provisions; however, regarding provisions of the Ordinance relating to the operation of a taxi, the Amendment provides that no exemption will be set for an autonomous vehicle operated as a taxi, unless required by the operation of such a vehicle without a driver or by the use of technological means installed in it to ensure compliance with the Ordinance's provisions. The Amendment further sets out provisions regarding the regulation of issuing a vehicle license for an autonomous vehicle, insurance for an autonomous vehicle, supervisory powers, and the establishment of an advisory committee that will include representatives of the relevant bodies, whose role will be to advise the Minister of Transport regarding the enactment of regulations on the subject of autonomous vehicles. Most of the provisions required to implement the arrangement established in the Law are enshrined in the 14th Schedule to the Ordinance, which includes conditions for granting an operating permit, obligations to be imposed on holders of operating permits, including reporting obligations to the Ministry of Transport, including regarding safety incidents, as well as conditions for issuing a vehicle license for an autonomous vehicle. The Law will enter into force one month after its publication in the Official Gazette.

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