Bill > A3968

Introduced Session

This bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission), in consultation with the Department of Transportation (department), to establish a three-year pilot program to allow autonomous vehicle testers (testers) to operate fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the State. The pilot program is to be overseen by a task force made up of five members composed of public safety officials, transportation experts, and AV industry representatives, and consumer advocates appointed by the commission, in consultation with the department. The task force is required to: (1) provide quarterly reports to the commission and to the department regarding the status of the pilot program; (2) solicit public feedback concerning the pilot program; (3) assist the commission and department in establishing responses and protocols related to AV collisions, cyberattacks against AV manufacturers and AVs, major operational disruptions concerning AVs, and liability in event of AV collisions; and (4) coordinate with the New Jersey Division of State Police and the Office of the Attorney General to develop guidelines to govern pedestrian and driver security and safety. Testers are not permitted to operate AVs in the State unless certain conditions are met. Specifically, the operator is required to: be seated in the AV's driver's seat; monitor the AV's operation; be capable of taking immediate manual control of the AV; be an employee, independent contractor, or other person designated and trained by the AV tester concerning the capabilities and limitations of the AV; not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol; and possess a valid basic driver's license or other appropriate license. The tester is required to register the AV and submit proof of liability insurance, self-insurance, or a surety bond of at least $5 million to the commission. The Chief Administrator of the commission (chief administrator) is permitted to immediately prohibit an operator or tester from operating an AV if the chief administrator determines that such operation poses a risk to public safety or that the operator or AV tester fails to comply with the provisions of the bill. A tester participating in the pilot program is required to provide the chief administrator with certain information appropriate for measuring the performance of the pilot program, but is permitted to withhold commercially valuable, confidential, or proprietary information. Any AV being operated under the pilot program is required to: (1) be equipped with a redundant safety system and technology that ensures appropriate motor vehicle control; (2) allow the operator or emergency responders to override autonomous functions and allow operators to take control of the AV; (3) alert operators when AV technology has been disengaged and the operator is required to take control of the vehicle; (4) retain data recordings beginning 30 seconds before a collision and be capable of capturing operational data; (5) be equipped with certain crash-avoidance systems; (6) comply with posted speed limits and emit artificial noise for pedestrian safety; (7) meet industry cybersecurity standards and ensure that all data is encrypted; and (8) bear a visible marker that indicates the vehicle is an AV. Under the bill, all AV collisions are to be reported to the department within 48 hours. Additionally, the bill requires the department to establish new AV testing environments, including closed testbeds and open-road testbeds, and to utilize existing AV testing environments. The department is required to identify funding sources to invest in and to coordinate with counties and municipalities to deploy smart infrastructure for AVs, including sensor equipped roads, communication systems, and real time traffic management technology. AVs operating as taxis are to: operate on designated highways; be marked as fully autonomous; be continuously monitored through data reporting; and have communication systems for emergency overrides by authorities. AVs operating as commercial trucks are to operate on designated highways under specific speed and weight restrictions set by the department and operators are required to have appropriate licensing to handle manual controls if needed. Finally, platooning is authorized for AVs operating as commercial trucks on highways with a lead vehicle controlled by an operator. Trucks that employ synchronized braking and acceleration and that follow the lead vehicle may operate as a fully autonomous vehicle without a human driver. The commission is required, no later than six months after completion of the three-year pilot program, to submit to the Governor and to the Legislature a report that evaluates the pilot program and includes recommendations for the safe integration of AVs on State highways.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Clinton Calabrese (D)*,  Robert Karabinchak (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document