Bill > AB1592

This bill authorizes the Contra Costa Transportation Authority to conduct a pilot project for testing autonomous vehicles without a driver present, and without traditional controls like a steering wheel or pedals, under specific conditions. These conditions include testing only within designated private business parks and at GoMentum Station, and operating at speeds below 35 miles per hour. Before testing begins, the authority or a private entity involved must secure $5 million in insurance, a surety bond, or proof of self-insurance, and provide the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) with a detailed testing program description. This description must include certifications about prior testing, local government approval, compliance with federal safety standards, and a plan for remote operation and communication. The operator must also disclose what personal information is collected from pilot project participants. The DMV can require data collection to evaluate safety, including accident reports and reports on unplanned disengagements of autonomous mode. This authorization is temporary and will expire 180 days after the DMV promulgates statewide regulations for driverless autonomous vehicle testing, at which point any testing by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority must comply with those new regulations.