From China and Japan to Canada and the United States, several countries worldwide have welcomed the testing of autonomous cars in urban locations this year. Not to be left out, Norway is the latest country to express interest in driverless car programs.

To streamline their efforts, the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communication is proposing a law to enable self-driving cars to be tested in the area by mid-2017. When it comes to sustainable technology, the country has always taken a proactive stand in adopting green practices.

"The objective of the bill is to facilitate the testing of self-driving vehicles on Norwegian roads ... within the framework of traffic safety while protecting the integrity of personal information," explained the group in a statement.

Currently, Tesla electric vehicles are flying off the shelves in Norway, with help from government subsidies. The transportation authority also attempted to ban gas-powered vehicles back in June, which has actually been an ongoing discussion by local groups for over a decade.

Calling All Advanced Automakers

Norway's approach to self-driving pilot programs is very cautious. Although the government wants to speed up the regulation process for car manufacturers developing driverless technology, it also wants to ensure the safety of pedestrians, residents and other drivers going about their business around the vessels.

Due to this concern, the transportation authority will likely only allow advanced automakers with mature driverless systems to participate in the country. Startups attempting to setup testing programs in Norway without a reliable track record could be rejected, face stricter regulations or be forced to stay in closed roadways. The government will also be giving priority to local technology-focused businesses that are interested in entering the highly competitive industry.

Why Norway?

Norway is a unique testing ground for self-driving cars. Unlike congested urban cities, which has been the focus of many pilot programs, local roads in the country are less predictable with extreme temperatures and devastating weather. Such conditions will be challenging for developers that are used to controlled environments and roadways.

From a different perspective, the region is also very inviting for businesses trying to improve efficiency and sustainability in the country. With driverless cars promising less fuel consumption – especially when leveraging EV technology, and less vehicles on the road, when combined with car-sharing models, automakers might be able to benefit from lax incentives for groups that closely adhere to local sustainability principles.

The country wants to utilize sustainable technology to improve mass and private transportation as soon as possible, due to a looming 2030 deadline to become carbon neutral. Norway still has a long way to go before it can accomplish this feat; and in order for such goals to come to fruition, it needs all the help it can get from automakers pioneering the driverless car sector.

"Further development and real-world use of such systems will probably prevent accidents and make our roads even safer. Laws and regulations should promote innovation while ensuring safety, trafficability, data security and data privacy," said Norwegian Minister of Transport Ketil Solvik-Olsen.