Malaysia is aiming to achieve Level 3 autonomous driving capability by 2030, and the government has urged the automotive industry to begin preparing for the transition.

According to deputy minister of investment, trade and industry Sim Tze Tzin, although the country has not yet begun examining the subject in detail, there is a need to do so, according to media reports.

"I think this is where the conversation needs to begin because there is still too much focus on manufacturing traditional vehicles, while Malaysia has yet to seriously begin discussions on autonomous driving, which is an area I intend to promote," he said, further adding that the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) would be tasked with carrying out the groundwork for the initiative.

He stated that autonomous driving would require changes across multiple sectors, including semiconductor design, software development, sensor manufacturing and infrastructure upgrades. Malaysia is therefore also seeking to position local companies as suppliers of chips, sensors and software related to autonomous driving systems.

"Autonomous driving involves changes across the entire ecosystem. Vehicle manufacturing will require more chips, software and sensors. Local vendors will need to upgrade their capabilities," he said.

He also said that local authorities and the public works department (JKR) would also need to improve road conditions and supporting infrastructure, including road signs and related facilities, as the transition would require participation from multiple stakeholders.

Referring to the expansion of autonomous driving technology in the United States, where deployment has reportedly increased from around four cities last year to approximately 40 this year, with a further 60 cities expected next year, Sim stated that the technology would eventually reach Malaysia and that the country must prepare for it.

He further added that industry participants should begin planning beyond current automotive technologies and prepare for future mobility trends. "While efforts are ongoing to catch up with current technologies, attention must also be given to future developments. Autonomous driving is expected to become part of future mobility developments. If the focus remains only on current technologies, Malaysia will continue following developments elsewhere. However, if preparations for autonomous technology begin now, Malaysia may be able to improve its position within the region."

As defined by SAE International, autonomous driving is classified on a scale from Level 0, where the driver controls all functions, to Level 5, which represents full driverless capability under all conditions.

Level 3 automation allows a vehicle to operate autonomously under specific conditions, although the driver must remain alert and be prepared to take control when required.

Programmes exploring the technology have previously been introduced, although primarily from a pilot on-road evaluation perspective.

In November 2020, the government designated its first autonomous vehicle test routes on public roads in Cyberjaya, with approval granted a month later in December. eMoovit Technology became the first company to receive approval to use the routes for its autonomous vehicle testbed.