Finland

Legislative basis for CCAM testing

Legal basis for testing:

• Road Traffic Act
• Vehicle Act.

Contact information: Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom)

Reijo.Jalko@traficom.fi

automatedvehicles@traficom.fi

The Road Traffic Act includes all the provisions concerning guidance of people’s behaviour in transport. The purpose is to improve the flow and safety of traffic and create a favourable environment for digitalisation and safe automation of transport.

The Vehicles Act enables testing of business models when offering mobility services with automatic vehicles.

Finnish legislation is quite flexible in terms of CCAM testing in public roads, and Finnish Transport Agency has ’a one stop shop’ for CCAM related testing services. Current Road Traffic Act and Vehicles Act allows CCAM testing in Finland already. CCAM testing utilizes also Traficom’s test plate certificate –procedure.

 

Application Requirements

Information brochure about the testing procedure available on request. The required test plate certificate application (B301) available online and instructions for test plate certificate application here.

List of requirements:

• Completed application form.
• Insurance for vehicle.
• Description of the modifications to the test vehicle (if based on type-approved vehicle).
• Description of the automated driving function, which is intended to be tested.
• Conducted risk assessment/ analysis.
• Confirmation of / information to road operator.

List of the required documents:

Risk assessment considering:

• The vehicle being used for testing.
• The road (sections) on which the tests are performed.
• The whole test procedure (end to end).

Responsible for the safety validation: Applicant (by means of self-assessment).

Average handling time for the process: Depends entirely on the readiness of the applicant if is the first contact only a general inquiry or well-planned research plan with risk-assessment and available equipment. Responsible body issuing permit requires a few weeks for the process.

Application fee: 230 euros.

 Is a test permit issued by another country accepted? Yes.

 

Conditions for Testing

Vehicle categories: No limitations.

SAE levels: No limitations.

ADAS / AD systems: No limitations.

Use-Cases: No limitations.

Geographical areas: No limitations.

Permit validity: Time period is flexible, but permit is issued based on the application with start and end dates. Validity of test plate certificates is one year but renewed automatically if not cancelled.

 

Driver Requirements

Safety driver: Always required.

Remote operation with no safety driver inside or in sight of the vehicle: Road traffic act does require that the vehicle must have a driver. However, Road traffic act does not say where the driver should be, therefore allowing the driver to be outside of the vehicle. Please note that the driver still has all the same responsibilities even though not being physically in the vehicle.

 

Data Requirements

Black box needed: No.

Obligation to report to authority during/after CCAM tests:  Yes, after the tests, general report on how the tests was carried, what was found, possible accidents and reasons behind them. Business sensitive information is not included.

Test reports availability to the public: Yes, under request.

Obligation to report to authority in case of accident: Yes, in case of an accident testing organisation should inform the Transport and Communication Agency (also known as Traficom) immediately and with the test reports after the test’s finalization.

Any other supervision / monitoring performed by the authority: Authority issuing the permit will discuss with the applicant about the test plan and requirements in detail. Transport and Communication Agency Traficom has one stop shop for all applicants and will maintain open discussion channel before and during testing.

National database for storing reports provided: No.

Requirements on data recording: No.

Requirements on disclosing data during/after tests: No.

Data exchange mechanism specified: No.

Test vehicle needs to be connected and / or cooperative during test: No.

 

Infrastructure

Testing facilities on public roads: There are some testing infrastructures on public roads (e.g., Tampere Testbed)

Testing facilities on private areas:

• Snowbox.
• Ouluzoneplus

 

Cross-border CCAM Testing

So far, no bilateral agreements on accepting other country’s test permits for CCAM exist in Finland.

Nordic Way3 is developing smart transport solutions for Nordic cross-border traffic. NordicWay will contribute to European CCAM harmonization through C-ROADS. 

 

Supportive Documents

The required test plate certificate application (B301) available online and instructions for test plate certificate application here.

• Test plate certificate application (B301)
• Instructions for test plate certificate application.