Bill > H3634

This bill establishes a comprehensive legal framework for autonomous vehicles in Massachusetts, defining key technical terms and creating regulations for their operation. The legislation defines important concepts like "automated driving system" and "dynamic driving task," and establishes that fully autonomous vehicles (Level 4 or 5 autonomous vehicles) can operate on state highways under specific conditions. These conditions include obtaining an autonomous operation license from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, having the ability to achieve a minimal risk condition if the system fails, complying with traffic laws, and meeting federal safety standards. Vehicles over 10,000 pounds must have a human driver physically present to monitor performance. The bill requires companies operating autonomous vehicles to submit a law enforcement interaction plan, maintain appropriate insurance (with a minimum $1 million liability coverage), and properly register their vehicles. The legislation also permits on-demand autonomous vehicle networks and explicitly states that no local government can create additional rules or fees beyond those outlined in this act. Importantly, the bill preserves the right of human drivers to manually control autonomous vehicles and ensures that the automated driving system is considered the "driver" when engaged for purposes of assessing legal compliance with traffic laws.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H3634