SB 431, as amended, Beall. Vehicles: driver-assistive truck platooning.
begin insertExisting law prohibits a driver of a motor vehicle from following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of the vehicle and the traffic upon, and the condition of, the roadway.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would require a determination of a reasonable and prudent distance between 2 vehicles, for those purposes, to take into account presence of vehicle automation technology, as described.
end insertExisting law requires motor vehicles being driven in a caravan or motorcade outside of a business or residence district to be operated so as to allow sufficient space, and in no event less than 100 feet, between each vehicle or combination of vehicles so as to enable any other vehicle to overtake or pass.
This bill would provide that the above provision does not apply to a vehicle equipped with a driver-assistive truck platooning system, as defined, that is being driven upon a highway with 2 or more lanes of traffic in the direction of travel.
Existing law prohibits the operation of any vehicle or combination of vehicles that is not equipped as provided. Existing law also prohibits vehicles from being equipped with certain equipment, including, among others, jamming devices.
end deleteThis bill would authorize the Department of Transportation to conduct a demonstration project to test the use of driver-assistive truck platooning systems with 2 vehicles in the platoon. The bill would require the Department of Transportation, if it authorizes a demonstration project pursuant to that provision, to coordinate with the Department of the California Highway Patrol to determine which types of vehicles and which streets and highways should be included in the demonstration project, provided that only streets and highways where driver-assistive truck platooning systems are likely to be frequently utilized shall be included in the demonstration project.
end deleteThis bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Vote: 2⁄3.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: begin deleteyes end deletebegin insertnoend insert.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
begin insertSection 21703 of the end insertbegin insertVehicle Codeend insertbegin insert is amended to
2read:end insert
begin insert(a)end insertbegin insert end insertThe driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow
4another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having
5due regard for the speed ofbegin delete suchend deletebegin insert theend insert vehicle and the traffic upon,
6and the condition of, the roadway.
7(b) A determination of a reasonable and prudent distance
8between two vehicles for purposes of subdivision (a) shall take
9into
account the presence of vehicle automation technology,
10including, but not limited to, a driver-assistive truck platooning
11system.
12(c) For the purposes of this section, “driver-assistive truck
13platooning system” means vehicle automation technology that
14integrates sensor array, wireless communications, vehicle controls,
15and specialized software to synchronize acceleration and braking
16between two vehicles, while leaving each vehicle’s steering control
17and systems command in the control of its driver.
Section 21705 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
(a) Motor vehicles being driven outside of a business
2or residence district in a caravan or motorcade, whether or not
3towing other vehicles, shall be operated so as to allow sufficient
4space, and in no event less than 100 feet, between each vehicle or
5combination of vehicles so as to enable any other vehicle to
6overtake or pass.
7(b) (1) This section does not apply to a vehicle equipped with
8a driver-assistive truck platooning system that is being driven upon
9a highway with two or more lanes for traffic in the direction of
10travel.
11(2) For the purposes of this subdivision,
“driver-assistive truck
12platooning system” means vehicle automation technology that
13integrates sensor array, wireless communications, vehicle controls,
14and specialized software to synchronize acceleration and braking
15between two vehicles, while leaving each vehicle’s steering control
16
and systems command in the control of its driver.
Article 18 (commencing with Section 28200) is added
18to Chapter 5 of Division 12 of the Vehicle Code, to read:
19
(a) The Department of Transportation may conduct a
23demonstration project to test the use of driver-assistive truck
24platooning systems with two vehicles in the platoon. If the
25Department of Transportation authorizes a demonstration project
26pursuant to this section, it shall coordinate with the Department
27of the California Highway Patrol to determine which types of
28vehicles and which streets and highways should be included in the
29demonstration project. Only streets and highways where
30driver-assistive truck platooning systems are likely to be frequently
31utilized shall be included in the demonstration project.
32(b) For the purposes of this article, “driver-assistive truck
33platooning systems” has the same meaning as in Section
21705.
This act is an urgency statute necessary for the
35immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within
36the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into
37immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
38In order to take advantage of federal funds that are currently
39available to states for the purpose of testing automated vehicle
P4 1technologies on roads and highways, it is necessary that this act
2take effect immediately.
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