How Switzerland is preparing for the automation megatrend

In Switzerland, automated mobility technologies have been tested and are already being used successfully in pilot projects, in public transport namely: autonomous shuttles are already operating in several Swiss cities, including Bern, Zug, Geneva, Fribourg, Sion, Schaffhausen and Zurich.

These shuttles were originally designed as pilot projects that require an exemption permit from the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). The Swiss Federal Council now wants to enshrine this process in law, and thus simplify it, to regulate the use of driverless vehicles and authorise them for commercial use. If the legal requirements are met, there will be no need for exemption permits in future.

With the revision of the Swiss Road Traffic Act and the Automated Driving Ordinance (AFV), the Swiss Parliament and the Federal Council have made a clear commitment to this mega trend. The consultation process is now complete and the Swiss Federal Council is making concrete proposals on how automated driving should be regulated in future.

The success of automated mobility depends on three factors: technology, regulation and social acceptance. Although there are various studies on the social acceptance of automated mobility, they are not comparable with each other and are therefore not very meaningful.

SAAM (Swiss Association for Autonomous Mobility) is a centre of excellence that draws on experts from all over the world to reshape mobility in Switzerland and make it accessible to the population. An important goal of SAAM is namely to promote studies on social acceptance that use a simple, standardised methodology and are therefore cost-effective and easy to replicate.

The first edition of SAAM Mag is out (also available in French and German). Read more on how autonomous vehicles are transforming transport in Switzerland, including in the logistics sector, and about the new regulation and how highly automated vehicles (up to Level 4) will be able to be deployed in real-life conditions on Swiss roads as early as 2025.