PRINTER'S NO. 1835
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1268
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY VULAKOVICH, FONTANA, COSTA, RAFFERTY, WOZNIAK,
BREWSTER, LEACH, RESCHENTHALER, SCHWANK AND WARD,
MAY 18, 2016
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, MAY 18, 2016
AN ACT
Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, providing for autonomous and connected vehicles.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 36
AUTONOMOUS AND CONNECTED VEHICLES
Subchapter
A. Preliminary Provisions
B. Testing
SUBCHAPTER A
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Sec.
3601. Definitions.
§ 3601. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
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shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Autonomous technology." Equipment, devices or other
technology installed on a motor vehicle, either by the original
equipment manufacturer or an aftermarket installer, which
renders the motor vehicle capable of driving or operating
without the active control of a human operator. The term does
not include an active safety system or any system for driver
assistance, including, but not limited to, a system to provide
electronic blind spot detection, crash avoidance, emergency
braking, parking assistance, adaptive cruise control, lane
keeping assistance, lane departure warning or traffic jam and
queuing assistance, unless the system, alone or in combination
with any other system, enables the vehicle to drive without the
active control or monitoring of a human operator.
"Autonomous vehicle." A motor vehicle that is equipped with
autonomous technology that can operate without the active
physical control or monitoring of a human operator. The term
includes vehicles that are engaged in platooning.
"Autonomous vehicle tester." A manufacturer, educational
institution, automotive equipment or technology provider, fleet
operator or other person that is certified by the Department of
Transportation to conduct testing and that has been authorized
by the department to conduct public testing of an autonomous
vehicle.
"Operation." The operation of an autonomous vehicle on a
test road for the purpose of testing.
"Operator." An individual employed by or affiliated with an
autonomous vehicle tester who is able to take immediate manual
or remote control of the autonomous vehicle.
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"Platooning." Use of equipment, a device or technology that
allows a motor vehicle or series of motor vehicles to operate in
an autonomous mode while coupled or joined to a lead vehicle via
a wireless connection in a caravan or motorcade.
"Test road." Any of the following:
(1) A trafficway.
(2) A turnpike.
"Turnpike." As defined in 74 Pa.C.S. § 8102 (relating to
definitions).
SUBCHAPTER B
TESTING
Sec.
3610. Safety and control .
3611. Registration.
3612. Operation.
3613. Policy.
3614. Operator.
3615. Disciplinary action.
3616. Reporting.
§ 3610. Safety and control.
When an autonomous vehicle is being operated, the operator
must:
(1) Be a licensed driver.
(2) Be able to take immediate manual or remote control
of the autonomous vehicle in the event of a failure or
malfunction of the autonomous technology or other emergency.
(3) Monitor the operation of the autonomous vehicle.
(4) Ensure that an autonomous vehicle will not be
operated unless the autonomous vehicle is:
(i) Equipped with a means to engage and disengage
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the autonomous technology which is easily accessible to
the operator.
(ii) Equipped with a means to alert the operator to
take manual control of the autonomous vehicle if the
autonomous technology has failed and the failure affects
the ability of the autonomous technology to safely
operate the autonomous vehicle.
(iii) Marked in a manner approved by the department
as being under remote control operation if the autonomous
vehicle is being controlled without a human operator in
the vehicle .
§ 3611. Registration.
An autonomous vehicle may not be registered in this
Commonwealth unless it meets Federal and State laws. If the
autonomous technology or autonomous vehicle does not meet
Federal and State laws for the purpose of testing, the
autonomous vehicle tester must obtain approval from the
department.
§ 3612. Operation.
(a) Contract.--The department may enter into a contract with
an autonomous vehicle tester for t he purpose of operating an
autonomous vehicle . If operation will occur on the turnpike, the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission must be made a party to the
contract.
(b) Prohibition.--An autonomous vehicle tester may not
conduct autonomous vehicle operation without a valid contract. A
person conducting autonomous vehicle operation, except as
provided under a contract entered into under subsection (a),
commits a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(c) Insurance or bond.--An autonomous vehicle tester must do
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the following before operating an autonomous vehicle on a test
road:
(1) Submit to the department proof of general liability
insurance or self-insurance, acceptable to the department, in
the amount of $5,000,000.
(2) Provide proof of financial responsibility for the
vehicle as provided under Chapter 17 (relating to financial
responsibility).
§ 3613. Policy.
(a) Adoption.--The department may adopt a policy authorizing
the operation of autonomous vehicles as provided for under a
contract entered into under section 3612(a) (relating to
operation). The policy may:
(1) Establish requirements that an autonomous vehicle
tester must meet before operation of an autonomous vehicle.
(2) Establish requirements that an autonomous vehicle
must meet before operation , including minimum safety
standards for autonomous vehicles and their operation and the
minimum number of hours an autonomous vehicle must meet on a
test road with low average daily traffic as determined by the
department before the autonomous vehicle is introduced on a
test road with high average daily traffic as determined by
the department.
(3) Establish requirements for an operator.
(4) Restrict the operation of autonomous vehicles to
specified geographic areas, classes and types of testing
roads and time and weather conditions.
(5) Provide for other requirements as the department
determines to be necessary in consultation with the
chairperson and minority chairperson of the Transportation
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Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority
chairperson of the Transportation Committee of the House of
Representatives.
(b) Publication.--The department shall submit for
publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin any policy adopted
under subsection (a) and place the policy on the department's
publicly accessible Internet website.
§ 3614. Operator.
The operator shall be deemed to be the driver or operator of
an autonomous vehicle under this title.
§ 3615. D isciplinary action.
The department may suspend or cancel a contract to operate
autonomous vehicles for any grounds determined by the
department.
§ 3616. Reporting.
(a) Autonomous vehicle tester.--An autonomous vehicle tester
must provide the following reports to the department:
(1) Notwithstanding any other obligation to report an
accident under this title, an accident involving an
autonomous vehicle that is being operated on a test road
under the authority of this chapter. The report must:
(i) Be made within 10 days of the occurrence.
(ii) Be made on a form supplied by the department.
(iii) Include whether the accident resulted in
towing of the autonomous vehicle or other involved
vehicle or whether an injury resulted from the accident
and the date, the name of the investigating law
enforcement agency and law enforcement incident number.
(2) Any instance, on a biannual basis, where the
operator was required to disengage the vehicle from
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autonomous mode as a result of a failure of the autonomous
technology.
(3) The status of autonomous vehicle testing.
(b) Department.--Annually, the department, in coordination
with the Pennsylvania State Police, shall submit a report to the
chairperson and minority chairperson of the Transportation
Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority
chairperson of the Transportation Committee of the House of
Representatives that describes the status of autonomous vehicle
testing, including, but not limited to, autonomous vehicle
testers, number and type of accident s and recommendations to
improve autonomous vehicl e testing.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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