BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1592
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
1592 (Bonilla)
As Amended August 19, 2016
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |75-0 |(April 7, |SENATE: |(39-0)|(August 23, |
| | |2016) | | |2016) |
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Original Committee Reference: TRANS.
SUMMARY: Authorizes the Contra Costa Transportation Authority
(CCTA) to conduct a pilot project for the testing of autonomous
vehicles under specific conditions.
The Senate amendments:
1)Require CCTA to obtain and provide to the Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV) proof of insurance and a detailed description
of the testing program prior to testing an autonomous vehicle
without an operator on a public road.
2)Require the detailed description of the testing program to
include specific certifications relating to the pilot's
technical specifications and compliance with applicable laws.
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3)Require the operator of the autonomous vehicle technology to
disclose to an individual who participates in the pilot
project what personal information, if any, concerning the
pilot project participant is collected by an autonomous
vehicle.
4)Authorize DMV to require the submission of information and
data regarding the testing of autonomous vehicles in the
pilot, including a report of any accident involving the
autonomous vehicles and an annual report summarizing
information on unplanned autonomous technology disengagements,
pursuant to existing law.
5)Provide that this bill does not limit the authority of DMV 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 existing
law.
6)Declare the intent of the Legislature is not to influence the
development of regulations by DMV for the testing and
operation of autonomous vehicles pursuant to existing law.
7)Provide that the testing of autonomous vehicles by CCTA shall
conform to future DMV regulations upon adoption of those
regulations.
8)Delete the provision declaring the necessity of a special
statute for CCTA.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, this bill:
1)Authorized CCTA to conduct a pilot for the testing of
autonomous vehicles not equipped with a steering wheel, a
AB 1592
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brake pedal, an accelerator, or an operator.
2)Limited the venue for the pilot project to a private business
park designated by CCTA, including the public roads within
that business park, and the GoMentum Station at the Concord
Naval Weapons Station.
3)Limited the operating speed of the autonomous vehicle in the
pilot to 35 miles per hour.
4)Declared the necessity of a special statute for CCTA.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS: In response to arguments for the traffic safety
benefits of increasingly automated vehicle technology, the
Legislature passed and the Governor approved legislation
requiring DMV to adopt regulations for the operation of
autonomous vehicles on California's public roads in 2012 [SB
1298 (Padilla), Chapter 570, Statutes of 2012]. The rollout of
DMV's regulations was separated into two stages: regulations
for insurance requirements for the purposes of testing
autonomous vehicles and regulations for the full deployment of
autonomous vehicles on California roads for non-testing
purposes. Both sets of regulations were required to be adopted
by January 1, 2015. DMV adopted testing regulations on May 19,
2014, and have yet to adopt regulations for the deployment of
autonomous vehicles for non-testing purposes out of a desire to
receive more input from the public and stakeholders before a
final regulatory action.
The original legislation directing DMV to adopt these
regulations includes several requirements for the operation of
autonomous vehicles, including the presence of an operator
inside the vehicle and the ability of the operator to take over
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control of the vehicle from the autonomous technology through
the use of the brake, the accelerator pedal, or the steering
wheel.
This bill would authorize CCTA to conduct a pilot project for
the testing of autonomous vehicles - separate from the framework
for testing autonomous vehicles that already exists - that are
not equipped with these control features and do not have an
operator inside the vehicle at specific sites in Contra Costa
County.
CCTA, the bill's sponsor, intends to test the vehicles at the
GoMentum Station, located at the former Concord Naval Weapons
Station, before testing the transportation of employees at the
Bishop Ranch business park in San Ramon. CCTA has begun
procurement of the autonomous vehicles to be used in the pilot
from a company that has successfully deployed these types of
multi-passenger vehicles in Europe. The vehicles to be used in
the pilot are not manufactured with the control features
specified in existing law and regulation.
According to the author, by encouraging technological innovation
in the field of mass transit, California can improve mobility,
increase road safety, reduce parking and traffic congestion,
meet the state's climate change goals, and keep jobs and
technological innovation in California.
Federal developments: In January 2016, United States Department
of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that NHTSA
will, within six months, both consult with industry and other
stakeholders to develop guidance on the safe deployment and
operation of autonomous vehicles, and consult with stakeholders
to develop a model state policy on automated vehicles that
offers a path to consistent national policy. This model state
policy has not yet been released.
Please see the policy committee analysis for full discussion of
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this bill.
Analysis Prepared by:
Justin Behrens / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN:
0004821