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Global guide to autonomous vehicles 2020

By Eric J. Tanenblatt, Crawford Schneider, Ben Allen, Henry (Litong) Chen, Martin Fanning, Michael Ledgett, Dr. Michael Malterer, Abbie Pokorny, Hayden Wilson, and Hayley Miller
January 2020
  • Asia Pacific
  • Automotive
  • EMEA
  • North America
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As consumers and businesses eagerly anticipate a future in which next-generation autonomous vehicles (AVs) change the definition of mobility as we know it, global automakers and technology companies are investing heavily in AV research and development. Simultaneously the laws and regulations governing the technology and its deployment are rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly complex, leaving unanswered questions around safety, liability, privacy and security.

Drawing on the knowledge and resources of its global, multidisciplinary Autonomous Vehicles practice, Dentons’ “Global Guide to Autonomous Vehicles 2020” dissects the front-burner policy issues, legislative and regulatory changes, new legal precedents and leading global trends shaping the sector.

In particular, the guide focuses on the following seven countries whose governments or automotive and technology industries have taken unique approaches to supporting the nascent autonomous vehicles industry:

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • Germany
  • New Zealand
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

For each country, the report examines five key areas: regulatory landscape; driverless vehicle testing and deployment; liability; data privacy and security; and telecommunications and 5G.

Download the complete report in PDF

Key findings

Governments around the globe, both large and small, must answer the complex technical, legal and regulatory questions plaguing full autonomy. Some of the key findings across the globe include:

  • Australia requires significant investment to upgrade its infrastructure, including communications and data access. Some municipalities are actively working toward this effort with defined plans of action and budget estimates.
  • Ontario leads testing and development of AV technology in Canada, while the federal government has focused on ensuring consistency across all jurisdictions.
  • The Chinese government has taken multiple steps to prepare national infrastructure for autonomous vehicles, including defining action plans, publicly soliciting opinions on strategy, promoting relevant research and preparing the streets for autonomous transit.
  • Germany has established a national strategy for AVs but its federated structure may threaten consistency at the country level.
  • The New Zealand government encourages the testing of semi and fully autonomous vehicles, as well as other transport technologies and innovations in order to facilitate early adoption of beneficial technology.
  • Recognizing a communications framework will be essential for AVs, the U.K. has developed a focused strategy to become a global leader in 5G technology, including spectrum allocation.
  • In the United States, there is no federal regulatory framework currently in place to address autonomous vehicle testing and deployment. As a result, testing and deployment is regulated by a patchwork of statecentric laws. Forty states and the District of Columbia have either passed autonomous vehicle legislation or are operating under executive orders.

We hope that Dentons’ Global Guide to Autonomous Vehicles provides you with a closer look at the developing political and legal landscape for autonomous vehicles, and the specific opportunities and challenges across key areas that will define the global mobility revolution.

If you have questions regarding any of the covered countries, the guide includes the names and contact details of local lawyers and professionals who can help you. If you have questions of a more general nature, about the guide or the sector overall, please feel free to contact our Autonomous Vehicles practice leader via email at eric.tanenblatt@dentons.com.

Useful links

  • Track key requirements for testing and deployment of driverless cars globally with Dentons’ Global Autonomous Vehicles Index.
  • Check out Dentons’ newsfeed aggregating the latest stories on self-driving vehicles.
  • Learn more about Dentons and The Driverless Commute
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Eric J. Tanenblatt

About Eric J. Tanenblatt

Eric Tanenblatt is the Global Chair of Public Policy and Regulation of Dentons, the world's largest law firm. He also leads the firm's US Public Policy Practice, leveraging his three decades of experience at the very highest levels of the federal and state governments.

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Crawford Schneider

About Crawford Schneider

Crawford Schneider is an associate managing director in Dentons' Public Policy and Regulation practice focusing on matters involving state and local government affairs, including legislative/regulatory research and drafting, land use and zoning, economic development, public-private partnerships, public policy surrounding disruptive transportation, and international trade and investment.

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Ben Allen

About Ben Allen

With 20 years as a litigator and dispute resolution lawyer, Ben has a reputation for achieving the best commercial outcomes for his clients with a calm, measured approach to the dispute process. Ben is recognised in The Best Lawyers in Australia 2020 in the area of alternative dispute resolution and as a leading lawyer in the area of anti-bribery and corruption in Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific 2019 Guide.

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Henry (Litong) Chen

About Henry (Litong) Chen

Before joining Dentons, Henry Chen was AP Compliance Director of Ford Motor Company responsible for monitoring and managing compliance risks under various jurisdictions, and conducting investigations and compliance reviews on unusual events.

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Martin Fanning

About Martin Fanning

Martin is a partner and Technology, Media & Telecoms Sector Head, based in Dentons' London office. Martin has advised public bodies, financial institutions and other large corporates on a wide range of complex information technology, intellectual property and data protection matters for over 15 years.

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Michael Ledgett

About Michael Ledgett

Michael F. Ledgett centres his practice on corporate and commercial law, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, public private partnerships, and the transportation industry.

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Dr. Michael Malterer

About Dr. Michael Malterer

Dr. Michael Malterer is a Corporate and M&A partner in the Munich office of Dentons. Michael is a global automotive expert and car enthusiast, focusing on transactions and strategic commercial work in the automotive and related manufacturing sectors in Europe, co-leading the automotive and manufacturing groups of Dentons in Germany and Europe. Michael advises clients on all aspects of connectivity, autonomous driving technology, sharing, and electrified driving.

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Abbie Pokorny

About Abbie Pokorny

Abbie is a senior associate in Dentons' London office. She is a member of the Energy, Transport and Infrastructure practice group.

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Hayden Wilson

About Hayden Wilson

Hayden leads the Wellington litigation team, specialising in public, regulatory and commercial litigation. He plays a key role in the firm’s relationships with government agencies.

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Hayley Miller

About Hayley Miller

Hayley is a commercial lawyer with a particular focus on technology and innovation. She has developed a multi-disciplinary practice which is often at the intersection of technology, privacy and consumer law.

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