One Canadian jurisdiction is slowing down the advancement of driver-assist technology as automakers work to create more sophisticated models. The Motor Vehicle Act was recently revised in British Columbia, making it illegal to operate cars equipped with Level 3 devices. This goes beyond simply outlawing the use of these systems. Driving any automobile equipped with a Level 3 system, whether you use it or not, is prohibited by law.
Signed on March 18, the amended regulations became operative on April 5. It forbids, in theory, the use of automobiles equipped with Level 3, 4, or 5 autonomous systems. However, above Level 3, nothing is currently accessible for public usage. There are just two cars that you can purchase that have Level 3 capabilities, even then. The technology is available for the 2024 Mercedes-Benz S-Class and EQS, and it is presently only authorized for restricted usage in Nevada and California. On certain limited-access routes, drivers are permitted to drive hands-free and without looking at all at speeds under 40 mph, but they still need to be prepared to take over.
Basically, you might want to reconsider taking a road trip to Vancouver if you own a 2024 S-Class or EQS with the optional Drive Pilot system. If you are discovered, you could face fines of up to $2,000 in Canadian dollars or potentially six months in prison. Having said that, just a small number of Level 3-capable cars are now on the market worldwide, with just two of them being offered in North America. BMW offers the 7 Series and i7, which may become Level 3-capable cars in Germany only if equipped with the $6,400 Personal Pilot L3 pack.
Level 3 technology may be used in British Columbia in the future. Officials refer to it as a “new and emerging transportation technology” in a statement on the regulatory amendments, saying that before it is widely used, it must undergo more testing and have its policies adjusted. Mercedes-Benz is the only automaker in the US offering L3 vehicles for sale. The only Level 3 production cars in the United States are the all-electric EQS and the combustion-powered S-Class, but the optional Drive Pilot hardware that enables them both is only approved in Nevada and California. Even with Tesla’s so-called Full Self-Driving capability, a Level 2 system is still in place.
British Columbia Implements New Regulations for Autonomous Vehicles and Updates Traffic Laws
While stating that “further testing and policy development are necessary before Level 3 or higher automated vehicles are considered safe and can begin to be allowed for public use on B.C. roads,” British Columbia acknowledges that highly automated vehicles will be a part of the lives of its inhabitants. With the new rules in place, driving a vehicle in the Canadian province that is capable of Level 3 or above is only permitted as part of an authorized pilot study.
A car with Level 3 autonomous driving technology, according to SAE International, may drive itself in some situations, but the driver must take control when the function asks them to. Level 4 and Level 5 allow the automobile to operate entirely on its own; the driver will no longer need to take control. British Columbia’s recent prohibition on autonomous driving vehicles is part of a broader update package to the Motor Vehicle Act that also includes new regulations for electric kick scooters and e-bikes as well as measures to safeguard vulnerable road users.
