Bill > S00344

This bill establishes new regulations for the operation of fully autonomous vehicles, which are defined as motor vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less equipped with an automated driving system (ADS) capable of handling all driving tasks without a human driver and featuring redundant safety systems. The bill permits these vehicles to operate on public roads without a human driver, provided the ADS is engaged and the vehicle meets specific conditions, including achieving a "minimal risk condition" (safely stopping the vehicle) if the ADS fails or exits its "operational design domain" (the specific conditions under which the ADS is designed to function). Owners of such vehicles are liable for traffic violations when the ADS is engaged, and the bill requires proof of insurance and registration of the vehicle as fully autonomous. It also addresses licensing by considering the ADS as the licensed operator and outlines duties following crashes, allowing for "on-demand autonomous vehicle networks" (services that use apps to dispatch autonomous vehicles) with specific surcharges for operation in cities with populations of five million or more, with revenues dedicated to workforce development. The bill designates the Department of Motor Vehicles as the sole state agency to regulate these vehicles and systems, preventing other local entities from imposing additional requirements, though cities with five million or more residents can establish their own local rules. Finally, it clarifies that vehicles with ADS that still require human intervention (a "request to intervene") are subject to different regulations.