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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the testing of autonomous motor vehicles; creating a |
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border security pilot program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 82, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 82.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 82.009. AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLES. (a) In this |
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section, "autonomous motor vehicle" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 545.428, Transportation Code. |
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(b) The manufacturer of a motor vehicle is not liable for |
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damages resulting from any of the following actions unless the |
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defect from which the damages resulted was present in the motor |
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vehicle when the motor vehicle was manufactured: |
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(1) the conversion or attempted conversion of the |
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vehicle into an autonomous motor vehicle by a person other than the |
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manufacturer; |
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(2) the installation of equipment in the vehicle by a |
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person other than the manufacturer to convert the vehicle into an |
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autonomous motor vehicle; or |
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(3) the modification by a person other than the |
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manufacturer of equipment that was installed by the manufacturer in |
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an autonomous motor vehicle specifically for using the motor |
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vehicle in automatic mode. |
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(c) A subcomponent system producer is not liable in a |
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products liability action for damages resulting from the |
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modification of equipment installed by the subcomponent system |
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producer to convert a motor vehicle to an autonomous motor vehicle |
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unless the defect from which the damages resulted was present in the |
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equipment when the equipment was installed by the subcomponent |
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system producer. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 521.1236 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 521.1236. DESIGNATOR ON LICENSE ISSUED FOR OPERATING |
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AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLE. The department shall establish a program |
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to provide an autonomous motor vehicle operation designation either |
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on the face of a driver's license or on the reverse side of the |
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driver's license issued to a person who is authorized to operate an |
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autonomous motor vehicle under Section 545.428. |
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SECTION 3. Section 541.001(1), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(1) "Operator" means, as used in reference to a |
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vehicle, a person who drives or has physical control of a vehicle, |
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except as provided by Section 545.428(b). |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 545.428 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 545.428. OPERATION OF AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLES; |
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BORDER SECURITY PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Autonomous motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle |
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that is capable of using autonomous technology to operate itself |
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without the active control or continuous monitoring of a person. |
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(2) "Autonomous technology" means technology |
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installed on a motor vehicle enabling the vehicle to operate |
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without the active control or continuous monitoring of a person. |
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The term does not include, except to the extent that such a system |
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may be a component of autonomous technology, individual safety |
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systems or driver assistance systems that enhance safety or provide |
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driver assistance, but are not individually capable of operating a |
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motor vehicle without the active control or continuous monitoring |
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of a person, such as systems designed to provide: |
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(A) collision avoidance; |
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(B) electronic blind spot assistance; |
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(C) crash avoidance; |
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(D) automated emergency braking; |
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(E) parking assistance; |
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(F) adaptive cruise control; |
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(G) lane keep assistance; |
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(H) lane departure warning; or |
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(I) traffic jam and queuing assistance. |
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(3) "Upfitter" means a person who modifies a motor |
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vehicle after manufacturing to convert the motor vehicle into an |
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autonomous motor vehicle. |
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(b) An operator of an autonomous motor vehicle operating |
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with autonomous technology is: |
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(1) a person who causes the vehicle's autonomous |
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technology to engage, regardless of whether the person is |
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physically in the autonomous motor vehicle while the vehicle is |
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operating; or |
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(2) a person who is seated in the driver's seat of the |
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autonomous motor vehicle and continuously monitors the operation of |
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the autonomous motor vehicle. |
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(c) A person may not operate an autonomous motor vehicle on |
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a roadway or public highway under Subsection (b) unless: |
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(1) the person holds a driver's license with an |
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autonomous motor vehicle designation under Section 521.1236; and |
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(2) the person is an employee, contractor, or designee |
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of: |
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(A) the department; |
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(B) a manufacturer of autonomous motor vehicles |
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authorized by the department to operate autonomous motor vehicles; |
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or |
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(C) an upfitter authorized by the department to |
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operate autonomous motor vehicles. |
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(d) An autonomous motor vehicle may be operated without the |
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active control of an operator, but the operation of the autonomous |
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motor vehicle must be continuously monitored by an operator who is |
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seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle and is able to |
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immediately assume active control over the vehicle. |
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(e) A person may not disable motor vehicle safety features |
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that are required by state and federal law during installation of |
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autonomous technology on a motor vehicle or operation of an |
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autonomous motor vehicle. |
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(f) The department shall adopt rules authorizing the |
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operation of autonomous motor vehicles on roadways and public |
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highways, including rules: |
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(1) establishing minimum requirements that an |
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autonomous motor vehicle must meet before the vehicle may be |
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operated on a roadway or public highway; |
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(2) establishing insurance requirements for: |
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(A) autonomous motor vehicle operators; |
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(B) manufacturers of autonomous motor vehicles |
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operating autonomous motor vehicles; and |
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(C) upfitters operating autonomous motor |
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vehicles; |
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(3) governing the safe operation of autonomous motor |
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vehicles on roadways and public highways; |
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(4) establishing a method of authorizing |
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manufacturers of autonomous motor vehicles and upfitters to test |
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autonomous motor vehicles and governing the testing of autonomous |
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motor vehicles; |
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(5) restricting the operation of autonomous motor |
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vehicles to certain geographic regions of this state; and |
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(6) establishing a pilot program for the department to |
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collaborate with autonomous motor vehicle manufacturers and |
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upfitters to test the use of autonomous motor vehicles for border |
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security purposes. |
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SECTION 5. Section 82.009, Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a cause of action that |
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accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |