Evolution in Japan's legal system for ensuring traffic safety

Abstract

In Japan, the key pieces of legislations governing road safety, namely the Road Transport Vehicle Act and the Road Traffic Act, have been revised to tackle drunk driving and, recently, to allow the development of self-driving cars. Traffic safety on public roads depends on a holistic system of vehicle control and a graduated response to traffic violation. If small violations are dealt with via a simplified system of fines, drunk driving and other form of dangerous driving need a stronger response that also includes criminal incrimination. The other major evolution in traffic-safety law is the gradual introduction of legislation allowing self-driving cars. After reducing the obstacles to the operation of automated vehicles with technology comparable to SAE level 3 on public roads, legislation has recently introduced a system comprising three entities for SAE level 4 cars in order to safely transition to driverless traffic operation. However, the key concepts and definitions—even for terms as simple as the “driver” —still need to be reviewed and improved to better fit this futuristic mode of driving.