CYBERJAYA, Sept 8, 2025 — Malaysia’s Ministry of Digital has initiated meaningful discussions with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to establish a legal framework governing the deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs), signaling a fresh drive to future-proof the country’s transportation laws.
Addressing attendees at the launch of the nation’s first Vehicle Forensic Laboratory, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo emphasized that while driverless vehicle technology is advancing rapidly, Malaysia must ensure that implementation is accompanied by appropriate oversight. “We have already begun discussions with JPJ regarding what we refer to as the autonomous vehicle network,” he said. “We need to develop a legal system that will guarantee the ecosystem is appropriate—especially regarding safety standards and data protection.”
These proactive steps come as Malaysia remains one of the few markets with no formal legislation specifically addressing AVs. Minister Gobind noted that the Digital Ministry has also begun coordination with the Transport Ministry to align broader regulatory objectives—a critical move given that even Malaysia’s Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system currently operates in a legal gray zone.
The push for AV legal clarity is grounded in existing groundwork. In December 2020, Malaysia launched its first Autonomous Vehicle testing route—MyAV—in Cyberjaya under a national regulatory sandbox, supported by agencies like JPJ, the Ministry of Transport, MIROS, and MARii. This initiative established formal guidelines for AV trials on public roads, covering safety protocols, cybersecurity requirements, fallback systems, and technical standards based on recognized international levels of automation.
However, these regulations are confined to experimental trials; there is yet no broader legislative framework for full-scale AV adoption. Research experts have long flagged this legislative gap, noting that the current Road Transport Act of 1987 is designed solely for human-driven vehicles and lacks provisions suited for autonomous technologies. Academics call for comprehensive reforms to align with evolving digital mobility realities.
With global peers—ranging from Japan and Australia to the European Union and the United States—already advancing AV laws on safety, liability, and connectivity, Malaysia’s engagement with JPJ marks a vital first step toward joining the regulatory mainstream.
