Portugal to allow self-driving car tests from July

Portugal is set to permit the testing of self-driving cars on its public roads beginning in July, following the approval and publication of a new decree-law. This legislation establishes a legal framework for technological trials, imposing stringent requirements on safety, insurance, and operational supervision.

The decree-law aims to "enable the democratisation of mobility" and introduce new transport solutions by optimizing vehicle fleets and reducing inefficiencies in the current mobility model. To conduct these trials, research laboratories, higher education institutions, and companies in the automotive, infrastructure, and transport sectors must obtain a license and adhere to specific technical, operational, and safety standards.

Key requirements include a significant increase in compulsory insurance coverage, four times the standard level, to cover potential bodily injury or material damage to third parties. Participating organizations must also present a risk mitigation plan and demonstrate robust cybersecurity measures to prevent unauthorized access to vehicle systems. Authorities must be notified in advance of any tests, and a comprehensive report, including details of any accidents or incidents, must be submitted upon completion.

Further regulations stipulate that drivers and operators responsible for highly or fully automated systems must possess a driving license for at least six years and have no traffic offenses in the past five years. During testing, vehicles will be required to reduce their speed by 20 kilometers per hour below the posted limits, and blood alcohol limits will align with those for professional drivers. Operators will be limited to a maximum of three consecutive hours of duty, with mandatory breaks of at least one hour. The vehicles must also be equipped with systems capable of recording extensive data, including system characteristics, driver control inputs, speed, braking performance, and remote commands.