{"id":958620,"date":"2026-11-09T21:54:13","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T21:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/958620\/"},"modified":"2026-11-09T21:54:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T21:54:13","slug":"tesla-urges-australia-to-fast-track-driverless-car-laws-by-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/958620\/","title":{"rendered":"Tesla urges Australia to fast-track driverless car laws by 2027"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tesla claims government red tape is holding back a driverless car revolution that could save hundreds of Aussie lives and prevent countless injuries<\/p>\n

In a submission to the Senate Select Committee on Productivity, the EV giant called on the Australian government to bring forward the proposed Automated Vehicle Safety Law (AVSL) from 2029 to 2027, warning Australia risks falling behind the rest of the world on driverless cars. <\/p>\n

\u201cAustralia\u2019s AV regulatory framework was first proposed by the National Transport Commission back in 2016,\u201d the company said. <\/p>\n

MORE: \u2018Fully sold out\u2019: Ferrari buries the haters<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Tesla's<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, progress on a national AV framework remains fragmented and continues to face uncertain timelines.\u201d <\/p>\n

According to Tesla, accelerating the legislation by two years could unlock more than $10 billion in safety, productivity, environmental, and economic benefits, while preventing thousands of injuries and saving hundreds of lives. <\/p>\n

Citing its own Australian Full Self-Driving (Supervised) data, the company claimed the technology has reduced collisions by 40 per cent compared with Tesla vehicles driving without FSD engaged. <\/p>\n

The company also reported that harsh braking incidents fell by 90 per cent, while harsh acceleration dropped by 86 per cent. <\/p>\n

However, the company\u2019s safety figures have not been independently verified.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has helped to significantly reduce the risk of tired, speeding, or distracted drivers leading to accidents, and unlike many other ADAS or \u2018cruise-control\u2019 features available, FSD (Supervised) has active driver monitoring features to further maximise safe operation through clearly defined roles and responsibilities,\u201d Tesla said. <\/p>\n

The company also cited federal government research to support its argument, noting autonomous vehicles could save up to 800 lives annually once fully adopted. That\u2019s more than two lives a day, according to Elon Musk\u2019s EV giant.<\/p>\n

MORE: Nation demands total ban on Chinese vehicles<\/a><\/p>\n

Tesla\u2019s FSD is currently classified as a Level 2 driver-assistance system in Australia, meaning drivers must remain attentive and maintain control of the vehicle at all times. <\/p>\n

Since launching locally in September 2025, Tesla vehicles have clocked more than 160 million kilometres on Australian and New Zealand roads with the system activated. <\/p>\n

Current local laws present a major obstacle to the company\u2019s ambitions to bring fully driverless vehicles to Australia. <\/p>\n

In the US, Tesla\u2019s Cybercab grabbed headlines for its stripped-back design, ditching the steering wheel and pedals entirely, with passengers greeted by just two seats and a central touchscreen to manage the trip.<\/p>\n

Without changes to local laws, Tesla has no legal pathway to operate a commercial driverless service in Australia. <\/p>\n

And Tesla isn\u2019t the only company being held back.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Waymo lodged a \u201chigh-level proposal\u201d with Transport for NSW to trial robotaxis on Sydney streets.<\/p>\n

The NSW Government reportedly held meetings with Waymo executives about a potential local trial, while the company also established an Australian branch and met with carmakers about possible partnerships.<\/p>\n

MORE: $4m hypercar destroyed in horror crash<\/a><\/p>\n

It remains unclear when a trial could begin, and questions have also been raised about Waymo\u2019s ambitions to use left-hand-drive vehicles during its testing phase.<\/p>\n

At the same time, transport unions have pushed back, warning widespread robotaxi adoption could threaten thousands of jobs in the industry.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Transport for NSW confirmed no decisions had been made regarding a local trial of automated passenger services.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny deployment of automated passenger services in NSW would still need to undergo a rigorous trial period to ensure safety of passengers and other motorists, as well as comply with NSW Point to Point laws,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTransport meets periodically with providers who deliver automated passenger services internationally. This provides information about the development of technology elsewhere and emerging community impacts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tesla<\/p>\n

The timeline for introducing driverless vehicles has repeatedly shifted, with previous targets of 2020 and 2026 giving way to a conditional rollout in selected locations from 2027.<\/p>\n

There is still no publicly confirmed date for when a fully operational national framework will be in place. <\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said the Commonwealth is continuing to work with states, territories, and the National Transport Commission to develop rules managing the safe rollout of automated vehicles.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs part of this framework, the Commonwealth is working to finalise the Automated Vehicle Safety Law, in consultation with key stakeholders and the states and territories,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Originally published as Tesla urges Australian government to fast-track driverless vehicle laws to 2027<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tesla claims government red tape is holding back a driverless car revolution that could save hundreds of 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