The alcohol test will only be a first step, and driving without holding the steering wheel is allowed under the following conditions:

The Slovenian parliament has approved amendments to the Road Traffic Act following a decision by the Constitutional Court. The changes were passed with 49 votes in favor and three against through an urgent procedure. The amendments modify the use of alcohol indicators for checking intoxication in traffic, aligning them with the court's ruling. They also address driving without holding the steering wheel in cases involving automated driving systems. According to Dr. Damijan Jaklin, the State Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, these changes are necessary to eliminate inconsistencies identified by the Constitutional Court regarding the verification of intoxication in traffic. The court ruled in October 2025 that the alcohol indicator is not a measuring device and lacks technical requirements ensuring measurement reliability. As a result, the indicator will now serve only as a preliminary test for detecting alcohol presence, after which drivers would be directed to undergo testing with an ethylometer or a professional examination. The amendment also outlines conditions for releasing the steering wheel while operating vehicles equipped with automated driving systems. This would be permissible for two-wheel drive vehicles with activated, approved automated driving systems of level one, two, or three according to the international standard SAE J3016. Jaklin emphasized that the introduction of these exceptions was not hasty, noting that the systems already underwent verification. He stated that drivers must continuously monitor traffic conditions and be prepared to immediately take control of the vehicle. Additionally, the amendment expands the possibility of parallel cycling on public roads to include members of the Triathlon Association of Slovenia and relevant international cycling or triathlon organizations. Previously, this privilege applied only to members of the Slovenian Cycling Association. Opposition to the changes came primarily from the Left party, while the Freedom Party abstained. All other parliamentary groups supported the amendment. Following the Constitutional Court’s decision, the largest coalition party, SDS, highlighted that the amendment is primarily a response to the court's ruling identifying the unconstitutional nature of current evidence of intoxication. Member of Parliament Bojan Podkrajšek noted that the changes are also related to the development of automated driving. Member of Parliament Martin Mikolič from NSi, SLS, and Fokus stated that the proposal aims to enhance road safety and follows the Constitutional Court's decision. He emphasized that driving under the influence of alcohol is one of the key factors in traffic accidents, thus requiring accurate, reliable, and constitutionally compliant evidence. Regarding automated driving, Mikolič mentioned that drivers should allow police to verify whether the automated driving system was actually activated. He described this as an important safeguard mechanism preventing misuse and enabling objective determination of the actual situation. Robert Potnik from the Democrats stressed that driving under the influence of alcohol endangers lives. According to him, the changes bring a more reliable process for determining intoxication. He also considered expanding the exception for parallel cycling on triathletes appropriate. Member of Parliament Damijan Bezjak Zrim from SD emphasized that he supports a traffic environment where technological development and sports activities do not reduce safety, while drunk driving is consistently prevented. He added that the police must have sufficient ethylometers, adequately trained officers, and clear procedures for cases requiring further testing. In relation to automated driving, SD believes that technological progress should not lead to unclear or disproportionate interference with privacy. Teodor Uranič from Freedom expressed respect for the decisions of the Constitutional Court and expects all solutions in the amended law to achieve the set goals. He added that they hope none of the changes will worsen the safety of road users. The proposed amendments aim to ensure a more reliable process for determining intoxication. The alcohol indicator will remain in use for road monitoring, but final proof of the degree of intoxication will be left to a more precise procedure. Police would conduct initial checks using the indicator, and if results exceed the allowed limit, further tests would be required to justify sanctions. The same amendment addresses the position of drivers who previously had little experience with autonomous driving: the car performs part of the driving, and the driver does not hold the steering wheel constantly. The government supported a supplement before the parliamentary review, precisely defining the conditions. Releasing the steering wheel would be allowed for two-wheel drive vehicles with activated systems of level one, two, or three according to the SAE J3016 standard, provided they are homologated or individually approved under the Motor Vehicle Law. Factors such as the road, visibility, weather, traffic, and the condition of the vehicle and its load would also need to be considered. This distinguishes the use of approved equipment from testing systems subject to special rules. For the driver, important obligations remain. According to the government's proposal, the driver must monitor traffic and system operation and be ready to immediately take over control. The police would need access to data on the activation and operation of the system and its retrieval from the vehicle. For non-compliance with these obligations, a fine of 300 euros is proposed. Buying a car with such equipment would not automatically mean permission to drive without hands on the wheel. Decisive would be the approval of a specific system and the conditions for its use. Even the label indicating the level of automation does not imply that the driver can neglect their responsibilities during driving. Other items on the agenda include proposals for a consumer credit law and an amendment to the Consumer Protection Act. The first item affects the market where loans often no longer look like loans: a customer selects deferred payment or smaller installments when making online purchases, concluding a contract in a few moments. The European directive on consumer credits, adopted in 2023, expanded protection even to loans under 200 euros and offers "buy now, pay later." 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