AB 848

This bill creates an Autonomous Driving Safety Board, attached to the Department of Transportation, that may authorize the operation of autonomous vehicles on specific highways in this state.

Under the bill, a person proposing to operate an autonomous vehicle in this state must submit an application for a permit to the board. If the board approves the permit, the permit holder may not operate an autonomous vehicle under the permit unless they 1) title and register with DOT each autonomous vehicle to be operated, 2) provide DOT with proof of financial responsibility for any damages, injury, or death caused by the operation of an autonomous vehicle, and 3) provide the board with information detailing how emergency services personnel should interact with autonomous vehicles for which the permit is issued. A permit holder may operate autonomous vehicles only on highways approved by the board.

The bill provides that the board may temporarily suspend a permit if the board determines that the operation of an autonomous vehicle is an unreasonable risk to public safety. The board must then conduct a hearing to determine if the permit should be suspended or revoked, based on a determination that a permit condition has been violated or that continued operation of autonomous vehicles under the permit would be an unreasonable risk to public safety.

The bill requires a permit holder to annually submit to the board a report summarizing results and observations related to safety, traffic operations, interaction with roadway infrastructure, comments from the public, and other information the permit holder deems relevant.