Estonia permits autonomous vehicles on roads — third country in Europe

Estonia has permitted autonomous vehicles on its roads, becoming the third country in Europe after the Netherlands and Lithuania. No changes to existing legislation were necessary, as a driver must still be at the wheel and assume full responsibility.

Estonia has joined the Netherlands and Lithuania, becoming the third country in Europe where autonomous vehicles can legally operate on public roads. The decision took effect without any legislative amendments.

The reason why separate legislative changes were not needed is straightforward: even with an autonomous vehicle, a human driver must remain at the wheel and bear full responsibility for the journey. Therefore, existing traffic law remains in force and the driver's role does not disappear.

Estonia's entry into this small but growing group of European countries demonstrates the nation's openness to emerging technologies. Previously, Estonia has established itself as a digital nation and developer of e-services, and permitting autonomous vehicles is another step in that direction.

Autonomous vehicle technology is advancing rapidly worldwide, and numerous automakers and tech companies are actively collaborating to make autonomous vehicles part of everyday life. In European markets, this development has so far been slower than in the United States due to regulatory constraints.