The Regulation on the Type Approval of Motor Vehicles Regarding the Autonomous Driving System of Fully Autonomous Vehicles (“Regulation”) was published in the Official Gazette dated December 1, 2024 and numbered 32739 in accordance with the European Union Regulations (EU) 2019/2144 and (EU) 2022/1426 and entered into force as of the date of publication.

The Regulation sets out specific test procedures and technical requirements for equipping certain categories of motor vehicles with autonomous driving systems and type approval for these systems.

The provisions introduced by the Regulation are as follows.

  • The Regulation applies to fully autonomous vehicles in the M and N categories, focusing on: (i) human and goods transportation in predefined areas, (ii) fixed-route operations, including specific departure and arrival points, and (iii) autonomous parking systems for driverless parking of vehicles in car parks.
  • Fully autonomous vehicles imported to Türkiye or manufactured locally must obtain type-approval by meeting the specified criteria before being permitted on the road. The type-approval of autonomous driving systems for fully autonomous vehicles must comply with the technical specifications outlined in Annex II. These specifications are evaluated by approval authorities or their designated technical services in accordance with Annex III.

The new rules for autonomous vehicles are not limited to technical standards alone. The Regulation also provides solutions for various scenarios these vehicles may encounter in traffic. Key topics include safety protocols, environmental sensing capabilities, and emergency response mechanisms, ensuring a holistic approach to integrating autonomous vehicles into traffic systems.

The full text of the Regulation can be reached through this link. (Only Available in Turkish)