Amended in Senate May 18, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 18, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2682

Introduced by Assembly Member Chang

February 19, 2016

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2682, as amended, Chang. Autonomous vehicles.

Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle being operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to adopt regulations no later than January 1, 2015, setting forth requirements for the submission of evidence of insurance, surety bond, or self-insurance, and for the submission and approval of an application to operate an autonomous vehicle.

This bill would require the department, upon the development of a model state policy on autonomous vehicles begin insert or operational guidance related to the deployment and operation of autonomous vehicles end insert by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to hold public hearings on the model policy and consider, to the extent authorized by other law, conforming department regulations with that policy.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. 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.  

Upon the development of a model state policy on
autonomous vehicles begin insert or operational guidance related to the
deployment and operation of autonomous vehicles end insert by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the department shall hold
public hearings on the model policy and shall consider, to the
extent authorized by other law, conforming department regulations
with the model begin delete policy. end delete begin insert policy and operational guidance. end insert