California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1592

Introduced by Assembly Member Bonilla

January 6, 2016

An act to add Section 38755 to the Vehicle Code, relating to autonomous vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1592, as introduced, Bonilla. Autonomous vehicles: pilot project.

Existing law permits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes if, among other requirements, the driver is seated in the driver’s seat and is capable of taking immediate manual control of the vehicle in the event of an autonomous technology failure or other emergency.

This bill would, notwithstanding the above provision, authorize the Contra Costa Transportation Authority to conduct a pilot project for the testing of autonomous vehicles that are not equipped with a steering wheel, a brake pedal, an accelerator, or an operator inside the vehicle, if the testing is conducted only at specified locations and the autonomous vehicle operates at speeds of less than 35 miles per hour.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Contra Costa Transportation Authority.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 38755 is added to the Vehicle Code, to
read:

38755.  

Notwithstanding Section 38750, the Contra Costa
Transportation Authority is authorized to conduct a pilot project
for the testing of autonomous vehicles that are not equipped with
a steering wheel, a brake pedal, an accelerator, or an operator inside
the vehicle, provided the following requirements are met:

(a) The testing shall be conducted only at a privately owned
business office park designated by the authority, inclusive of public
roads within the designated office park, and at the GoMentum
Station at the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

(b) The autonomous vehicle shall operate at speeds of less than
35 miles per hour.

SEC. 2.  

The Legislature finds and declares that a special law
is necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable
within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California
Constitution. Because of the need to limit the scope of testing of
new autonomous vehicle technology it is necessary to limit
authorization for the establishment of a pilot project to the Contra
Costa Transportation Authority.