Until recent years, it seemed so futuristic that the time would come when no drivers would be needed and cars would drive themselves. Today, the existence of so-called self-driving cars (in other words, autonomous or automated cars) and their participation in road transport is reality, and that raises countless legal and ethical questions. This study reviews the regulatory frames of these vehicles from several points of view. After the introduction to the international rules on road traffic, attention is given to the current legal provisions adopted in certain states of the USA since these states were the first in the world that attempted to create the legal basis for self-driving cars. After the review of selected American laws, the main tendencies of current and future European regulation will be presented. Among European states, the German regulation amended in 2017 will be examined in detail. Nevertheless, the recent regulatory tendencies of other countries (e.g. Hungary) will be reviewed as well.
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