The most important points at a glance:
- Since March 2025, Switzerland has had binding framework conditions for automated driving that include regulations for autonomous shuttles (SAE Level 4), automated parking and the use of highway pilots (SAE Level 3).
- Switzerland takes a hands-on approach, creating space for innovative developments.
- Switzerland goes one step further than Germany by defining specific rules of behavior for autonomous vehicles and their owners on the road.
- The approval of the operating areas is the responsibility of the cantonal authorities – a decentralized approach that shows parallels to the German model.
- There are plans for revisions of the ordinance within five years and adjustments to the Road Traffic Act by around 2030 in order to continuously optimize the system based on practical experience.
Automated driving in Switzerland: a role model for Europe
On March 1, 2025, Switzerland created a binding legal framework for automated driving. The aim is to promote innovative mobility solutions while ensuring the highest safety standards.
“With its new regulation on automated driving, Switzerland is showing how a lean and practical regulatory approach can advance innovative mobility. This approach can serve as a model for other European countries,” says Christoph Ziegenmeyer, Vice President Communications & Public Affairs at MOIA.
Similar to Germany, the new regulation creates legal certainty for autonomous mobility in order to continuously develop it with the help of practical experience.
What exactly does the new regulation on automated driving in Switzerland entail?
The regulation defines specific use cases such as autonomous shuttles (SAE Level 4), automated parking (valet parking) and the use of highway pilots (SAE Level 3). It offers legal certainty to autonomous mobility providers and places particular emphasis on flexibility and practicality. While vehicle owners ensure that operational procedures are adhered to, manufacturers are obliged to provide digital solutions that support these processes.
Autonomous vehicles to be operated in Switzerland must receive type approval according to international UNECE and EU standards. Currently, this means that 1,500 vehicles per series can be type-approved annually according to EU regulations. In addition, a further 250 vehicles per series can be type-approved on the basis of Swiss legislation. An exemption clause also allows the registration of pilot or individual vehicles, even if they have not yet received full type approval, provided that the safety standards are fully met.
The regulation is designed to be flexibly adaptable. As a regulation – as opposed to a law – changes can be made more quickly, which is of great importance in view of the rapid technological developments in the field of autonomous driving. It is expected that further adjustments will be made in the coming years, within five years for the regulation and around 2030 for the Road Traffic Act, to take into account practical experience and technological advances.
The approval of operating ranges is the responsibility of the cantonal authorities – a decentralized approach that is in line with Swiss tradition. At the same time, this approach carries the risk of a patchwork of different solutions, as could also arise in Germany, for example, where responsibility lies with the federal states. So the practicality will be shown in the cantonal implementation.
How does the Swiss approach differ from the regulation of automated driving in Germany?
One major difference between the German regulation in the field of autonomous driving and that in Switzerland is the defined behavioral law for autonomous vehicles. For example, the obligation to carry warning triangles or vehicle documents no longer applies if the corresponding safety requirements are met in other ways. In addition, Switzerland allows automated diagnostics for autonomous vehicles during the so-called departure check, which increases efficiency in day-to-day operations.
The qualification requirements for operators are also regulated in less detail. The focus here is on operational monitoring, communication with passengers and responding to safety-critical events.
What opportunities does the regulation on automated driving in Switzerland bring with it?
With the new ordinance, Switzerland is positioning itself as a pioneer in the regulation of autonomous mobility, thus providing a possible starting point for other European countries. The approach enables the development of flexible and needs-based mobility offers in both urban and rural areas.
The ordinance also paves the way for autonomous ridepooling services in Switzerland, which have the potential to reduce private transport, make more efficient use of road infrastructure and minimize emissions.
Read more about the different legal frameworks for automated driving in Europe in the blog post.