More than 500 years after Leonardo Da Vinci built his famed robotic cart, which was self-propelled and capable of pre-programmed maneuvering, the world is finally entering the era of driverless vehicles capable of safely negotiating busy city streets and winding country roads through the use of use of radars, lasers, cameras and GPS technology.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are being touted by technology firms and traditional carmakers alike for their possible use as on-demand robo-taxis and shared-fleet vehicles, shuttle buses and package-delivery vans, long-haul trucks and row-crop tractors. Governments are looking at them for their potential to reduce the staggering number of vehicle-related deaths, lessen fuel consumption and emissions, provide mobility to the elderly, and optimize urban land use by eliminating the need for parking spaces and structures.

Dentons AV team can help you navigate the still-evolving patchwork of national, regional and local laws, regulations and guidance relating to the development and deployment of AVs. Whether you are a vehicle manufacturer, automotive OEM, vehicle or parts retailer, driverless technology firm, bus, taxi, transit or truck fleet operator, auto liability insurer or finance company; or are outside the sector considering the implications of automated vehicles for your business or already preparing for implementation of AV technology, we offer a full array of tech, regulatory, transactional and litigation support to startups, small businesses and large multinationals.

Dentons is able to deliver on all fronts because our Autonomous Vehicles group draws its members from multiple practice areas like transportation, infrastructure, energy, public policy and advocacy, corporate transactions, capital markets, insurance, real estate, intellectual property and venture technology, among others. We hail from multiple offices around the globe, including in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Singapore and Australia. Finally, we have extensive automotive and technology sector experience and a deep understanding of the emerging business issues impacting these industries.

Dentons delivers creative, stand-out solutions to help you achieve your strategic objectives, minimize your risk and grow your market share. In addition to our strong bench in the tech and automotive sectors, our global footprint uniquely positions us to provide you with timely solutions to your most complex business and legal issues no matter where you are located or do business.

Driverless Commute

A digest clocking the most important technical, legal and
regulatory developments shaping the path to full autonomy.

The Driverless Commute blog brings clarity to the complicated issues in the world of autonomous vehicles by drawing on the unparalleled legal, technical and regulatory experience of the world's largest law firm. Click here to view the Driverless Commute blog.

Each week, the Driverless Commute dissects the most consequential developments in federal and municipal testing regimes across the globe, insurance and liability frameworks, urban planning, acquisitions and combinations, and artificial intelligence and mapping. Subscribe to Driverless Commute.

Insights

2025 Global Guide to Autonomous Vehicles

May 14, 2025

As the technology underlying autonomous vehicles (AVs) continues to evolve, so too does the legal and regulatory landscape governing the testing and deployment of AVs within the United States and across the globe.

Trends and challenges shaping the automotive industry in 2025

January 23, 2025 and updated on May 9, 2025

Global: This article will focus on the integration of software into both manufacturing processes and the products themselves as a key factor in addressing some of these challenges.

Global Guide to Autonomous Vehicles 2024

May 29, 2024

The Dentons 2024 Global Guide to Autonomous Vehicles summarizes key AV regulatory developments worldwide, aligning with broader societal goals of integrating AVs with public transportation and urban planning. Collaboration among stakeholders reflects a collective push for innovation, safety and public welfare on the roads.

 

View all insights for Autonomous Vehicles

News and Events

Recent Press Releases

Dentons releases annual Autonomous Vehicles Guide, identifying countries and policies defining the global mobility revolution

January 28, 2021

Despite a global pandemic, nine countries took major steps toward the commercialization of autonomous vehicles in 2021.

Dentons' new Global Autonomous Vehicle Index offers comprehensive regulatory information for self-driving safety and innovation

May 28, 2020

Decades of imagination, research and investment in advanced computing are bearing fruit at last in the global race for automotive autonomy.

Dentons’ 2020 Autonomous Vehicles Guide Studies Countries and Policy Issues that will Define the Global Mobility Revolution

January 31, 2020

As consumers and businesses eagerly anticipate a future in which next-generation autonomous vehicles (AVs) change the definition of mobility as we know it, global automakers and technology companies are investing heavily in AV research and development.

View all press releases for Autonomous Vehicles