Legislative Breakthrough for Autonomous Vehicles in Poland – the Institute as National Coordinator of Research Works on Autonomous Vehicles – Centrum Kompetencji Pojazdów Autonomicznych i Połączonych

Legislative Breakthrough for Autonomous Vehicles in Poland – the Institute as National Coordinator of Research Works on Autonomous Vehicles

On December 18, 2025, the President of the Republic of Poland signed the amendment to the Road Traffic Act. This act constitutes a fundamental change in the Polish legal system, adapting it to the challenges associated with the implementation of autonomous vehicle technologies and defining the role of supervisory institutions.

Systemic Role of the Motor Transport Institute (ITS)
A key aspect of the amendment is the formal establishment of the Motor Transport Institute in the process of supervising road innovations. In accordance with the adopted regulations, the tasks of the National Coordinator of Research Works are to be carried out by the Director of ITS.

The new regulation entrusts the Institute – substantively supported by the Competence Centre for Autonomous and Connected Vehicles (CK:PAP) – with a central role in the system of coordination and monitoring of autonomous vehicle tests. This means that ITS will be the entity verifying safety and collecting key data from research conducted in real-world traffic throughout the country.

Scope of Legislative Changes and CK:PAP Contribution
The adopted regulations, developed with the participation of CK:PAP experts, introduce necessary terminological and procedural precision:

Precise definitions:The Act implements a distinction between automated and fully automated vehicles, based on international SAE standards.
Testing procedures:A transparent administrative path has been established for entities applying for permits for tests on public roads, along with the determination of administrative fees.

Granting statutory coordination competencies to the Director of ITS confirms the expert position of the Institute and CK:PAP as the guarantor of the safe and controlled development of modern mobility in Poland.