The Road to Autonomy: How Malaysia Is Preparing for Self-Driving Cars

Imagine sitting back while your car drives itself. It sounds futuristic, but Malaysia might be closer to that reality than many realise.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo says his ministry has started working with JPJ to draft safety rules and a legal framework for autonomous vehicles. It is still early, but the fact that regulators are already involved shows the government sees driverless technology as inevitable, not imaginary.

Still, letting a car steer itself through Malaysian traffic while dodging motorcyclists and potholes is a big leap of faith. Even in countries where autonomous driving is more advanced, things are not flawless. In the United States, Waymo robotaxis have made headlines for spinning in circles, stopping on highways and trapping passengers inside.

Despite these hiccups, insurers are optimistic. Allianz’s Hands Off – The Safety Promise of Autonomous Driving report predicts road accidents in Europe could drop 20 percent by 2035 and more than half by 2060 as autonomous vehicles become common. The logic is simple: most accidents stem from human error. Remove that, and the safety math changes quickly.

The report found that self-driving systems already outperform humans, cutting rear-end and intersection crashes by as much as 85%. Waymo’s own data shows a 96% drop in intersection injuries, proving that when the technology works, it works well.

For Malaysia, the road to autonomy will not be without challenges. UPM’s Dr Azree Nazri says uneven 5G coverage and unpredictable traffic could limit performance. Reliable vehicle-to-everything communication is essential. Without it, cloud-based vehicles could lose coordination and revert to basic self-driving functions.

Public confidence is another obstacle. “It feels more frightening than exciting,” says KL-based marketing manager Clarissa Loi. Yet in the United States, many women actually prefer driverless rides for safety and privacy reasons. Waymo says women now make up half of its passengers, showing how autonomy can shift social behaviour in unexpected ways.

In Japan, change is already happening. Nissan plans to launch a driverless ride-hailing service in Yokohama by 2027 to support senior citizens amid a driver shortage. It is a reminder that autonomy is not only about convenience but also accessibility.

Experts say Malaysia’s electric vehicle ambitions and autonomous development are naturally linked. Prof Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam from Asia Pacific University notes that both require major infrastructure upgrades including better data networks, advanced charging systems and dedicated lanes. 

Monash University’s Dr Susilawati adds that most autonomous vehicles are trained on foreign road conditions. Malaysia’s heavy rain and unpredictable junctions could easily confuse their sensors.

Assoc Prof Dr Vimal Rau from Taylor’s University believes a clear national framework must come first. He suggests forming a taskforce that brings together government, academia and industry to ensure safety and innovation move in step.

Cybersecurity will also be critical. Malaysian Cyber Consumer Association president Siraj Jalil says Malaysia must adopt global safety standards, independent audits and strict PDPA compliance. He stresses the importance of “data protection by design”, meaning privacy must be built into every layer of the system.

Another big question is liability. If a driverless car crashes, who is responsible? Siraj says accountability should be shared between the manufacturer, software developer and service operator, not placed solely on the owner.

To help autonomous cars mix with normal traffic, UPM researchers are testing a new idea: a traffic light that flashes all three colours at once to alert human drivers when an autonomous vehicle is nearby. It is a more affordable alternative to the white-light system proposed overseas.

Insurers are also rethinking coverage models. Allianz’s Dr Klaus-Peter Rohler says future premiums will depend on how safe a vehicle’s systems are rather than its make or model. Safer cars could mean lower insurance costs.

Experts believe autonomy could also help reduce congestion and emissions. Once around 30% of vehicles are self-driving, AI-managed traffic could flow more efficiently. Without proper regulation, however, the opposite could happen.

Malaysia’s driverless dream is still some distance away, but the groundwork has begun. With policymakers, researchers and industry now aligned, the country has taken its first serious step into autonomous mobility, carefully but confidently.

Source: The STAR