Austria

Testing Infrastructure

Advanced, automated vehicles/driving functions can be tested on public roads, with a respective test permission issued by the BMK, or on proving grounds in order to carry out extensive tests for research development and validation projects.

There are two test environments in Austria that can provide proving grounds as well as testing infrastructure on public roads:

• ALP.Lab
• DigiTrans

Procedure Description

The current (April 2023) legal environment allows the testing of automated vehicles on public roads in Austria within the following use cases:

• Automated minibus
• Automated vehicle for passenger transport
• Automated vehicle for the transport of goods
• Motorway Pilot with Automated Lane Changing
• Motorway pilot with automated driving on motorway on- and off-ramps and exits
• Automated military vehicle
• Automated valet parking
• Automated working machine

In order to get a test permission, the applicant needs to provide detailed information on:

• the automated driving functions and the system to be tested,
• the number of total real, virtual and experimental test kilometres driven to date using the system to be tested,
• the vehicle(s),
• the operator(s),
• a proof of insurance,
• information on the testing period,
• the road sections to be used and evidence of route analysis, risk assessment and risk management and
• if a risk analysis for the entire test project has been undertaken in order to realize risk‑minimizing measures.

Additionally, the applicant needs to acknowledge the Code of Practice, which contains the general rules for testing.

The (main) steps for obtaining a test permission by the BMK are:

• Hand in the completed application form at the Contact Point Automated Mobility.
• Review of the application form and consultation of the applicant by the Contact Point Automated Mobility.
• Decision and issuing of permission by the BMK.

Test reports must be submitted every six months. Furthermore, a final report must be submitted one month after expiration of the test permission.

A detailed description of the procedure for testing automated vehicles and their systems on public roads in Austria can be found here.

Organisation(s) in Charge

BMK – Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology: Responsible for the process, the decision on the applications and the issuing of the permission.

AustriaTech: National Contact Point for Automated Mobility. Responsible for handling the application process as well as supporting the applicants during the process.

Contact Information

AustriaTech is the national contact point and serves as a coordinating interface between the applicant and the BMK.

Link to Procedure Website

• Information on testing automated vehicles on public roads in Austria

Link to Documents

• Code of Practice
• Translation of the Ordinance on Automated Driving
• Application form for testing automated vehicles
• Procedure test request
• Rout analysis and risk assessment
• Report on Testing

Further Comments

As the code of practice and the application form for issuing a testing permission are being updated constantly, links need to be checked regularly. Furthermore, the legal requirements might be adapted as well.