Since the first Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index (AVRI) was published in January 2018, there has been a huge acceleration in investment in AV technology, policy adoption by governments to encourage AVs and media coverage of the topic.

The 2019 AVRI adds five new countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Israel and Norway) for a total of 25; new measures including a consumer opinion poll on AVs; and provides greater insights into individual countries, drawing on the expertise of colleagues across the KPMG network.

Once again, The Netherlands ranked #1. Notably, it is working with neighboring countries to launch huge platoons of driverless trucks to transport flowers on major “Tulip Corridor” routes from Amsterdam to Antwerp and Rotterdam to the Ruhr valley.

Singapore, a powerhouse of technological innovation, ranked #2. With a leading university, it has created a test town for driverless vehicles complete with traffic lights, bus stops, skyscrapers and a rain machine that recreates its stormy tropical weather.

Countries were assessed on 25 different measures within four pillars: policy & legislation; technology & innovation; infrastructure; and consumer acceptance.

New this year, KPMG conducted consumer opinion research to better understand public sentiment about AVs. The findings revealed a striking correlation between countries lower in AV preparedness having the most positive opinion regarding AVs.

The results of the 2019 Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index tell us that all countries are making progress toward a future with autonomous vehicles. It shows that governments are prioritizing the modernization of transport and taking steps that consider the real-life impact of driverless cars and trucks.

Download the report to see the full country rankings and learn more about AV progress in your country and around the world.