By Santhia Panjanadan
SERI KEMBANGAN, May 14: Autonomous vehicle (AV) is among the new technologies Malaysia is looking at for the future, but a legal and regulatory framework must first be in place before any rollout, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today.
“At the same time, we need to ensure that infrastructure and safety aspects are well taken care of before we can roll it out,” he said during the press conference at the Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Expo (MCVE) 2026 here today.
Loke said the ministry has instructed officials to look into a potential test bed to kick-start a proof of concept for the technology. He added that they are exploring how to implement this in a safe manner, with the hope of adopting it as quickly as possible.
“We are encouraging the autonomous vehicle to operate in a closed environment, such as in areas like ports, airports. There are certain areas where they do not mix with other traffic,” he added.
Beyond technology adoption, AV deployment could also help address labour problems in the logistics sector. “Places like airports, ports and so forth, where it is very labour-intensive, we need to cut down because right now, a lot of sectors are facing worker shortages. So, this is another way, besides adopting new technologies, addressing practical solutions, practical problems that we are facing.” he said.
When asked about a 2030 timeline, Loke said it was difficult to commit to a specific figure. “It is very hard to put a figure… We need the private sector to drive it. Of course, the government needs to be supportive, needs to allow this kind of testing to be adopted.
“Like it or not, we have to be open about it. These are the things the world is adopting.”
–WE