Bill Text: CA AB1592 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 1592 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Autonomous vehicles: pilot project.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2016-09-29 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 814, Statutes of 2016. [AB1592 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB1592-Amended.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 1592	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 28, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bonilla
    (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members 
 Travis Allen,   Baker,   and Obernolte 
 ) 

                        JANUARY 6, 2016

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


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1592, as amended, Bonilla. Autonomous vehicles: pilot project.
   Existing law permits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on
public roads for testing purposes if, among other requirements,
 the   a  driver is seated in the driver's
seat and is capable of taking immediate manual control of the vehicle
in the event of an autonomous technology failure or other emergency.

   This bill would, notwithstanding the above provision, authorize
the Contra Costa Transportation Authority to conduct a pilot project
for the testing of autonomous vehicles that  do not have an
operator and  are not equipped with a steering wheel, a brake
pedal,  or  an  accelerator, or an operator inside
the vehicle,   acceler   ator  if the
testing is conducted only at specified locations and the autonomous
vehicle operates at speeds of less than 35 miles per hour.
   This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to
the necessity of a special statute for the Contra Costa
Transportation Authority.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
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.  Notwithstanding Section 38750, the Contra Costa
Transportation Authority is authorized to conduct a pilot project for
the testing of autonomous vehicles that do not have an operator
and  are not equipped with a steering wheel, a brake pedal, 
or  an  accelerator, or an operator inside the vehicle,
  accelerator  provided the following requirements
are met:
   (a) The testing shall be conducted only at a privately owned
business  office  park designated by the authority,
inclusive of public roads within the designated  office
  business  park, and at  the 
GoMentum Station  at the   located within the
boundaries of the former  Concord Naval Weapons Station.
   (b) The autonomous vehicle shall operate at speeds of less than 35
miles per hour. 
   (c) A change in ownership of the property comprising the GoMentum
Station shall not affect the authorization to conduct testing
pursuant to this section. 
  SEC. 2.  The Legislature finds and declares that a special law is
necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable within the
meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution.
Because of the need to limit the scope of testing of new autonomous
vehicle  technology   technology,  it is
necessary to limit authorization for the establishment of a pilot
project to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority.