The New Era for Fully Autonomous Vehicles: The Regulation on Type Approval of Motor Vehicles Regarding the Autonomous Driving System of Fully Autonomous Vehicles is Published

Studies predict that there will be a major transformation in vehicles between 2030 and 2035, and 1 out of every 3 vehicles will be autonomous by 2035. With this transformation in autonomous driving technology, it is estimated that a new market of 300-400 billion dollars will be created, and users will tend towards fully autonomous driving.

In Türkiye, the ‘Regulation on the Type Approval of Motor Vehicles Regarding the Autonomous Driving System of Fully Autonomous Vehicles’ (Regulation) issued by the Ministry of Industry and Technology was published in the Official Gazette on 1 December 2024. In this regard, an important step has been taken in this field with the Regulation prepared within the framework of compliance with the European Union regulations.

Prior to mentioning the provisions of the Regulation, it is essential to first understand the system of autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles are mainly machines which are equipped with AI and computing technology, which require little or no human intervention and can operate completely without intervention. These vehicles, which can perform driving tasks automatically, have the capacity to carry passengers safely and manage operations such as steering control and compliance with traffic rules thanks to AI in the system.

With the Regulation, the procedures and principles regarding the equipping of vehicles in the N (at least four-wheeled, motorised freight transport vehicles) and M (motorised vehicles used for passenger transport) categories with a fully autonomous driving system and special test procedures and technical requirements for type approval for these systems were determined.

In this context, type approval for fully autonomous driving systems will be evaluated by considering the use cases in three different scenarios:

▪️ Fully autonomous vehicles designed and manufactured for the transport of people or goods in the designated area, including dual-mode vehicles.

▪️ Fully autonomous vehicles designed and built for the carriage of passengers or goods on a pre-determined route, including fixed-route, dual-mode vehicles, with a fixed journey or trip departure and arrival points.

▪️ Vehicles with an autonomous parking system consisting of dual-mode vehicles with a fully autonomous driving mode for vehicle parking applications in specific car parking facilities. This system may or may not use the external infrastructure of the car parking facility (positioning beacons, detection sensors and the like) to perform the dynamic driving task.

The manufacturer may apply for individual or type approval for autonomous driving systems of vehicles defined in the Regulation on Type Approval and Market Surveillance and Inspection of Motor Vehicles and Their Trailers and Their Components, Systems and Separate Technical Units (EU/2018/858) if they meet the conditions set out in this Regulation.

Within the scope of the type approval application for autonomous driving systems of fully autonomous vehicles, the information document containing information about the system as specified in Annex I of EU/2018/858 is included. Type approval is subject to the technical specifications specified in the annexes of the Regulation and these specifications are evaluated by the competent authorities. The EU type approval certificate for the type of autonomous driving system of the fully autonomous vehicle is issued within the framework of Annex IV of the Regulation.

The Regulation will increase compliance with technological developments within the framework of the relevant legislation and ensure the safe and effective progress of autonomous driving systems.

You can reach the full version of the Regulation here (only available in Turkish).