France, the first country to legislate on autonomous driving.

FedEx has just launched a program with Aurora and Paccar to develop autonomous semi-trailers. The first prototypes will connect Houston to Dallas, Texas.

During a transitional phase, the trucks will be equipped with drivers, but the goal is indeed to have these vehicles operate without drivers starting from 2023.

However, security issues remain crucial.

Faced with this technological advancement, legislative systems in countries around the world remain non-existent.

France is therefore the first country to legislate, notably on responsibilities in the event of an accident.

In France, any driver is criminally responsible for offenses they may commit. However, responsibility is now transferred to the vehicle's manufacturer or its representative, if the accident occurs during the autonomous driving phase.

Regulatory texts: Ordinance No. 2021-443 of April 14, 2021, Decree No. 2021-873 of June 29, 2021

The decree makes it possible for autonomous vehicles for the transport of people or goods to operate from September 2022, on predefined routes or areas.

The demonstration of the safety of these autonomous systems must be made before any commissioning, validated by qualified accredited organizations.

There are different Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches to the piloting of autonomous vehicles. This regulatory evolution is likely to give some manufacturers cold sweats... much more than Halloween!