Creating a standard for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Transport Canada wants feedback on updating the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations to include advanced driver assistance systems. Advanced driver assistance systems are technologies included in some vehicles which can help the driver with the driving task. Some advanced driver assistance systems can improve a driver’s situational awareness, while others can take control of steering, throttle or braking systems.

We’re looking at whether advanced driver assistance features should be:

• required by regulations or left unregulated
• meet a minimum set of requirements if they’re on a vehicle

New safety requirements would take the form of new Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and could apply to school buses and commercial trucks in particular but also other vehicles such as motorcycles, cars, trucks and passenger buses. There may end up being different requirements for different types of vehicles.

The technologies we’re looking at directly impact the safety of drivers, passengers and other road users. At this time, we’re not looking at driver convenience systems or systems that don’t affect safety.

We plan on introducing new requirements using an outcome-based approach, when possible. Outcome-based regulations focus on the results we want from a regulation, instead of a specific process or action that must be followed. Using outcome-based regulations would give companies some flexibility to choose the best way for them to meet the requirement, and help them develop and introduce new systems.

An outcome-based approach provides broader regulations, meaning we may be able to accept systems that are shown to comply with international requirements that have the same safety goals. In some cases, Transport Canada may add special conditions or tests to the outcome-based approach to confirm our safety goals are met.

We want your thoughts on updating the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations to add new requirements for advanced driver assistance technologies. This is an informal consultation after which a regulatory proposal will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, followed by a formal comment period. You will also have the opportunity to provide feedback as part of the Canada Gazette process. The final regulatory requirements will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

We want to hear from you

We want to hear from stakeholders and the Canadian public. Your opinions and feedback are important. Please read our background document, and our explanation on outcome-based regulations, then have your say. There are three ways to participate:

1. Send a formal written submission via the “Submissions” tab by September 30, 2020.
2. Participate in our discussion forum through the “Have your say” tab. The forum will be open until September 30, 2020. To participate, please go to "register" at the top of the page or sign in.
3. Send in your comments by email to RegulationsClerk-ASFB-Commisauxreglements@tc.gc.ca, and include “ADAS Informal Consultation” in the subject line.

As set out in sections 19 and 20 of the Access to Information Act, be sure to identify any parts of your comments that we shouldn’t make public because they include personal information or third-party information. Explain why your comments should be kept private, and for how long.

Unless you tell us a section is private, it could appear in any regulatory proposal that Transport Canada publishes in the Canada Gazette.

Have your say

We are looking for feedback on seven questions, including three on the discussion forum and four in the background document. You can also submit comments about general issues related to these technologies being required on some new vehicles in Canada.

Please be sure to include data, technical information or other proof to support your comments.