New regulations for autonomous vehicles in Switzerland
CSFM Seminar with Emilio Frazzoli (ETH Zurich), Stephen Milford (University of Basel), Thomas Probst (University of Freiburg), Armin Jost (FEDRO), Xilin Zhou (SwissRe) and Amin Amini (Loxo).
About the seminar
With the latest developments in autonomous driving and a multitude of pilot tests going on in different cities, it seems critical to develop the necessary regulations also in Switzerland.
In this seminar, we discussed the challenges posed by these technologies to regulators and society with Professor Emilio Frazzoli, Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control (ETH Zurich); Stephen Milford, University of Basel, on ethical aspects of regulating Autonomous Vehicles; Thomas Probst, Chair of Law of Obligations, European Private Law and Comparative Law, University of Fribourg, on the legal framework and an overview of key issues; Armin Jost from the Federal Roads Office, on the current mandate and status of the regulation; Xilin Zhou, from SwissRe, on the crucial role of insurance for autonomous vehicles; and finally, the perspective of operators on safety and cybersecurity regulations for AV presented by Amin Amini from Loxo.
We thank the engaged speakers for an insightful and inspiring event, as well as the participants for a lively dialogue. The discussion and reflection on this critical topic should be continued as it is relevant to define the kind of future mobility we will promote and design.
If you were unable to join us, or if you wish to revisit the presentations, please follow the links below to download the slides, listen to the recordings, or just to get impressions of the event.
Downloads
- Download Introduction (PDF, 729 KB)
- Download The fundamental problem for autonomous cars (PDF, 84.5 MB)
- Download Regulating AVs ethically (PDF, 904 KB)
- Download The Swiss legal framework for automated driving: Overview and key issues (PDF, 332 KB)
- Download Regulating automated driving in Switzerland (PDF, 913 KB)
- Download Safety and cybersecurity regulations for automated vehicles (PDF, 705 KB)
Impressions
Abstracts and short bios
Professor Emilio Frazzoli is a member of the Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control (IDSC). His main research interests are in the area of planning and control of mobile robotic systems, with a particular emphasis on autonomous vehicles and transportation networks. In recent years, he has been particularly interested in developing new approaches for smart urban mobility. Emilio is a member of the Swiss Association of Autonomous Mobility (SAAM)’s Board of Directors (BoD).Since mid-2023 he is chairman of the Center for Sustainable Future Mobility at ETH Zurich.
This presentation provides a brief overview of a recent study and its main findings on the ethical challenges related to collisions and beyond. It discusses the position of Swiss experts concerning the responsibility for the implementation of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs), the current status of ethical frameworks, and expectations regarding regulation and policy. Finally, the talk introduces a potential framework that can serve as an ethical basis for regulation.
Professor Thomas Probst is an economist and a lawyer. He has taught law at the Universities of St. Gallen, Basel, Neuchâtel, Fribourg, and Lausanne. One of his fields of expertise is the relationship of Law & Technology. He is a co-founder of the interdisciplinary research group SwissMoves in Fribourg which presented in Switzerland the first prototype of a remotely teleoperated vehicle without any driver nor supervisor on board. He is also a board member of the Swiss Association of Autonomous Mobility.
Switzerland is in the process of adopting specific rules for automated driving. As our country has to cope with a fairly unique legal background of bilateral treaties with the EU – which in some cases have not been updated for several years – the Swiss legislation on automatic driving constitutes a challenging task. It is therefore the proper time to provide an overview of the current state of legislation and to address some key issues.
Armin Jost is a specialist in vehicle technology and operations at the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). His work primarily involves the further development of national regulations for road vehicles, including innovations in vehicle technology, data protection and international construction, equipment and authorization regulations. He also participates in international committees for the development of vehicle regulations at EU and UNECE level (WP.29-GRVA).
Automated vehicles can increase road safety and improve traffic flow. They also open up new opportunities for the economy and transport service providers. At its meeting on October 18, 2023, the Federal Council opened the consultation on two new ordinances with which it intends to regulate automated driving. The presentation provides an overview of the project.
Autonomous vehicles are a new risk for insurers. Are they a good or bad risk? The lack of historical data on AV accidents prevents actuaries, scoring experts, risk managers (and the general public alike) from drawing unequivocal conclusions on their safety performance. The goal of this talk is to shed a light on the complexity of the matter and the key role of the insurance industry in this space.
Amin Amini is the co-founder and CEO of LOXO, a Swiss startup building autonomous systems for goods transportation. He is specialised in system engineering with a focus on functional safety, a field where he worked several years at the company CertX, a certification body where he’s the co-founder and board member. He is part of the working group Motility 4.0 at ASTRA and Swiss representative in the ISO committee for safety standards of autonomous vehicles.
The new Swiss ordinance for automated mobility refers to the most dominant and most demanding functional safety and cybersecurity regulations. This talk summarizes the applicable standards in a structured way and underlines the challenges and opportunities for a safe and secure automated mobility as of 2025.
