Should driving drunk or on drugs in a self-driving car be legal?

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Should it be legal for a man to drive a self-driving car while drunk? The answer may be “yes.”

Current laws could hinder the uptake of automated vehicles, said the Australian National Transport Commission (NTC), suggesting drivers under the influence of alcohol should be free to use self-driving vehicles without falling foul of the law.

According to a discussion paper released by the NTC last week, the requirement that driverless cars need to comply with current drink-driving laws is “one of those potential barriers,” which will prohibit the development and application of self-driving technology.

Autonomous cars are coming soon. /Gizmodo Photo

"This would create a barrier to using a vehicle to safely drive home after drinking. Enabling people to use an automated vehicle to drive them home despite having consumed alcohol has the potential to improve road safety outcomes by reducing the incidence of drink-driving."

In NTC’s opinion, a drunk person using automated cars is as same as if the same person used a taxi. When the drunk person chooses to take over the car, however, it should become a serious driving offense, added the NTC in the paper.

Relaxed businessman in autonomous self-driving car/Shutterstock Photo

In fact, it has raised questions in various countries about whether alcohol should be forbidden for drivers using automated vehicles, with some analysts pointing out that self-driving technology could be a boon for the whole alcohol industry.

“Shared and autonomous vehicles could expand the total addressable market of alcoholic beverages, while reducing the incidence of traffic fatalities and accidents,” noted Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas. "Technology could help address the mutual exclusivity of drinking and driving in a way that can significantly enhance the growth rate of the alcohol market and reduce the incidence of traffic accidents."