Experts urge India to create clear rules and SOPs for autonomous vehicles

Road safety experts on Monday stressed the need of the government framing a comprehensive regulatory framework and set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the testing, deployment and operation of autonomous vehicles (AV) to meet the phased target in the country's complex traffic conditions.

Speaking at an event organised by the India chapter of International Road Federation (IRF), P Rajalakshmi, professor, Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation (TiHAN) at IIT Hyderabad, said road safety remains a critical concern for autonomous technology becoming mainstream in India.

Rajalakshmi said India's target for autonomous vehicles (AVs) involves a phased approach, aiming for widespread use of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) like lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control by 2030, followed by the introduction of Level 3 and 4 vehicles in specific urban areas and controlled routes by 2040.

"As India embarks on a mission to lead in autonomous mobility by 2047, key goals include boosting market growth and developing AVs suited for India's complex traffic conditions," she said.

According to her, the country does not have a specific, explicit law or set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for deployment, and operation of autonomous vehicles.

"The existing legal framework, primarily the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Indian Penal Code, 1960, does not directly address the unique challenges posed by autonomous technology and the issue of liability," Rajalakshmi said, adding that comprehensive regulatory framework that addresses the safety, liability, ethics, and data privacy concerns specific to autonomous vehicles.

International Road Federation (IRF) President Emeritus K K Kapila said as of 2025, many vehicles globally are still at level 1 or level 2 autonomy (i.e., driver-assistance systems), rather than full self-driving.

Autonomous fleets (Level 4) are operational in select cities globally. The global AV market is projected to grow strongly, Kapila added.

"Regulatory and liability issues for autonomous driving vary widely and are still evolving... The uptake of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) (Level 1/2) in India is growing," he said.

Others who spoke on the occasion included A Mohan Rao, Chief Scientist, CRRI, Akhilesh Srivastava, President IRF -- India chapter.