Amended in Senate June 6, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 28, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1592

Introduced by Assembly Member Bonilla

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Travis Allen, Baker, begin insert Nazarian, end insert and Obernolte)

January 6, 2016

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

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

Existing law permits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes if, among other requirements, a 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 do not have an operator and are not equipped with a steering wheel, a brake pedal, or an accelerator if the testing is conducted only at specified locations and the autonomous vehicle operates at speeds of less than 35 miles per hour.

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

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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.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert Notwithstanding Section 38750, the Contra Costa
Transportation Authority is authorized to conduct a pilot project
for the testing of autonomous vehicles that do not have an operator
and are not equipped with a steering wheel, a brake pedal, or an
accelerator provided the following requirements are met:

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(a)

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begin insert (1) end insert  The testing shall be conducted only at a privately owned
business park designated by the authority, inclusive of public roads
within the designated business park, and at GoMentum Station
located within the boundaries of the former Concord Naval
Weapons Station.

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(b)

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begin insert (2) end insert  The autonomous vehicle shall operate at speeds of less than
35 miles per hour.

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(c)

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begin insert (3) end insert  A change in ownership of the property comprising the
GoMentum Station shall not affect the authorization to conduct
testing pursuant to this section.

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(b) This section does not limit the authority of the department
to promulgate regulations governing the testing and operation of
autonomous vehicles on public roads, with or without the presence
of a driver inside the vehicle, pursuant to Section 38750.

end insert

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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.

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