The continued growth of automotive technologies today represents a global shift that has the potential to transform what vehicles look like and how users interact with them. However, the rollout of these solutions is contingent on legislation enacted by governments around the world working to ensure that they are safe for widespread customer use. For any OEM, supplier, developer, or start-up looking to innovate, it is therefore crucial to keep a pulse on the vast legal landscape growing alongside the latest innovations. However, navigating the various legal frameworks and regulations that make up this landscape, especially as more are introduced, can seem daunting.
Breaking down the legal landscapes of four key automotive technologies are our dedicated legislation reports – including the Autonomous Car Legislation Guide, Cyber Security Legislation Guide, EV Legislation & Incentives Guide, and Connected Car Legislation Guide - all of which have recently been updated for Q1 2024. Individually, each one presents an invaluable resource on the latest legal and regulatory activities around a key automotive technology domain. Together, they provide a single reference point for navigating the full landscape for current and developing automotive legislation.
In this article, we will take a deep dive into each of our legislation guides, outlining their contents and key benefits, while Riley Keehn, Automotive Technology Specialist at SBD Automotive and lead author of these reports, will highlight who they benefit the most. Sample pages taken from each report provide further insight into the knowledge and the opportunities they can enable for developers, OEMs, suppliers, and more.
Autonomous Car Legislation Guide - 535
Legacy OEMs and new players alike are looking to capitalize on the trend of vehicle autonomy by developing, trialing, or implementing more advanced ADAS and autonomous driving systems. The ecosystem for these technologies is growing at varying rates around the world, based on their maturity as OEMs work to gain consumer trust, as well as the legal landscape surrounding them. Representing a series of guidelines, regulations and groups, this landscape ensures that all ADAS and autonomous technologies are developed, tested, and launched safely. As it gains depth through the development of new autonomous technologies, and their rollout in new regions, gaining a thorough understanding of the evolving legal space for them can accelerate time-to-market and strengthen consumer trust.
Analyzing how and where legislation is impacting vehicle autonomy is our Autonomous Car Legislation Guide. While identifying the threats, implications, and opportunities of this legislation, the report takes a closer look at how legislative and regulatory activities around autonomy vary between regions. Here, our domain experts highlight which new requirements will be enforced to improve the safety of ADAS features, while profiling the countries allowing SAE Level 3 and Level 4 systems on public roads alongside current (and potential) consumer driven NCAP requirements. As a live resource, the guide is updated every quarter with new insights and updates on the legal landscape for automated vehicle technologies.
“The Autonomous Vehicle Legislation Guide is a valuable tool for OEMs, mobility providers, and local governments seeking to stay up to date on the development and deployment of increasingly autonomous vehicles and automated systems. Keep track of which global regions are deploying which levels of autonomy, how new ADAS features are being regulated or mandated for safety, and how best practices and standards are being adopted to fill in policy gaps in the interim. This report may also be especially helpful to legal/compliance teams or insurance providers, as SBD tracks the global precedents being set for liability, insurance coverage, labeling, data and cyber security, and other risk areas for autonomous driving.” – Riley Keehn, Automotive Technology Specialist at SBD Automotive
Cybersecurity Legislation Guide - 539
While operating at different levels of technological advancement, many OEMs are equipping their latest vehicles with an increasing number of digital functions. Although, while unlocking new opportunities across the vehicle lifecycle, this digitization has exposed some new vehicles to external cybersecurity vulnerabilities. As such, it is imperative for any OEM developing or launching their own connectivity solutions to ensure that they are robust, well-prepared to tackle any potential cybersecurity risks, and adhere to global cybersecurity legislation.
Designed as a comprehensive reference tool for cybersecurity legislation, our Cyber Security Legislation Guide details the best practice guidelines and technical standards impacting in-car and off-board systems around the world. While assessing the threats, impacts, and opportunities presented by the latest mandates, guides and standards, the report also denotes legacy and outdated publications. Within this analysis, it spotlights the emerging cybersecurity regulations that could affect the manufacturing, homologation, and selling of future vehicles. The guide is updated quarterly, accounting for the latest changes and updates in cybersecurity legislation across various regions.
“SBD Automotive's Vehicle Cybersecurity Legislation Guide is your one-stop-shop for all things vehicle cybersecurity policy, with summaries and change tracking for amendments to key industry regulations like UN R155 (CSMS) and UN R156 (SUMS), new policies and frameworks, and updates to local and widely adopted international standards. The technical cybersecurity requirements outlined by the policies in this report interplay well with SBD’s Autonomous Vehicle, Connected Car, and Electric Vehicle Legislation Guides (535, 528, and 218 respectively). It is highly recommended to, depending on a team’s function, reference 535, 528, and/or 218 with 539 to develop a more comprehensive picture of the relationships between cybersecurity, data privacy and management, functional safety, and other risk management areas for specific domains and systems.” – Riley Keehn, Automotive Technology Specialist at SBD Automotive
Connected Car Legislation Guide - 528
Within the ever-evolving connectivity landscape, legacy OEMs and suppliers are constantly enhancing their offerings to keep pace with changing consumer demands. At the same time, new players are uniquely embedding connectivity across the vehicle lifecycle, from development and production through to the end user experience. As new connectivity innovations roll out, governments and bodies are responding with a variety of legal and regulatory activities – making the legal landscape for connected systems more complex and, subsequently, more difficult to navigate.
In defining this landscape, our Connected Car Legislation Guide identifies active and developing legislation impacting OEMs, suppliers, and connected services across many regions. Updated quarterly, it details the scope and legal status of various legislation as well as the organizations behind them. While assessing how this legislation varies between regions, the report also understands how likely developing legislation is to be implemented and outlines its potential impacts on future connectivity features.
“SBD’s Connected Car Legislation Guide is an excellent resource for any OEM, parts supplier, software developer, or even local government working towards vehicle and infrastructure connectivity. Keep abreast of changing data privacy and management requirements in core markets as they pertain to software-defined vehicles, connected systems, and the data they collect, and follow standards development, best practices, and mandates for the implementation of such connected systems and their interactions with traffic, road, and energy infrastructure and the user.” – Riley Keehn, Automotive Technology Specialist at SBD Automotive
EV Legislation & Incentives Guide - 218
As they continue to gain mainstream popularity, many OEMs are looking to innovate even further in the field of EVs. At the same time, the strong market opportunity for EVs has even led start-ups and non-automotive players to reveal their own concepts with the intent to gain industry footing. Growing in tandem with the popularity of EVs is the extensive legal landscape and ecosystem of incentives that surrounds them, which any player looking to sell one must navigate to ensure success. These players must also understand how this landscape, and these incentives, can vary between regions and how it will evolve to secure future EV success globally.
The EV Legislation & Incentives Guide provides all of this knowledge and more through in-depth analysis into the impacts of legislation on electrification worldwide. While understanding the legislation and incentives offered for EVs today, it also highlights the expected impacts of developing legislation, and how public incentives for EVs vary by region. Accounting for the broader EV landscape, our experts also profile the latest regulations around charging infrastructure. This report is refreshed quarterly with new insights into the latest EV legislation and incentives, while offering an accompanying Excel version that features thorough, data-driven, insights.
“SBD’s Electric Vehicle and Incentives Legislation Guide spans the policy landscape for successful electric vehicle programs. Covering regulation, legislation, best practices, and standards for zero emission vehicles, greenhouse gas and fuel economy stringency, charging equipment, government funding (like the U.S.’ NEVI formula), growing areas such as life cycle analysis, recycling and reuse, grid security, and much more. This report also includes a tracking guide for consumer and manufacturer incentives that will help decisionmakers identify key markets to make the most out of vehicle, fleet, manufacturing / supply chain, charging buildout, and energy use rebates, tax credits, and other incentive structures. This report is great for EV startups and subsidiaries, powertrain engineers, regulatory compliance teams, OEM energy divisions, utilities, battery and charging equipment suppliers, and anyone else with an interest or stake in an electrified future.” – Riley Keehn, Automotive Technology Specialist at SBD Automotive
Next Steps
As demonstrated throughout this Insight, each of our legislation guides provides a clear, grounded, view of the legal landscapes surrounding four technologies that will play a defining role in the future of automotive. When combined, they offer a live resource that gathers deep insights from our connectivity, cybersecurity, autonomous, and EV experts to advance your solutions across these domains and accelerate their legal approval.
Want to stay up to date with the latest legal and regulatory activities spanning the global automotive industry? Then be sure to click below to learn more and to secure your copy of our Legislation Guides today!
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