Bill Text: TX SB2205 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to automated motor vehicles.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-15 - Effective on 9/1/17 [SB2205 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB2205-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to automated motor vehicles.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-15 - Effective on 9/1/17 [SB2205 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB2205-Comm_Sub.html
By: Hancock | S.B. No. 2205 | |
(In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2017; March 29, 2017, read | ||
first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; | ||
April 24, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee | ||
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 24, 2017, | ||
sent to printer.) | ||
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2205 | By: Hancock |
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relating to automated motor vehicles. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 545, Transportation Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter J to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER J. OPERATION OF AUTOMATED MOTOR VEHICLES | ||
Sec. 545.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Automated driving system" means hardware and | ||
software that, when installed on a motor vehicle and engaged, are | ||
collectively capable of performing, without any intervention or | ||
supervision by a human operator: | ||
(A) all aspects of the entire dynamic driving | ||
task for the vehicle on a sustained basis; and | ||
(B) any fallback maneuvers necessary to respond | ||
to a failure of the system. | ||
(2) "Automated motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle on | ||
which an automated driving system is installed. | ||
(3) "Entire dynamic driving task" means the | ||
operational and tactical aspects of operating a vehicle. The term: | ||
(A) includes: | ||
(i) operational aspects, including | ||
steering, braking, accelerating, and monitoring the vehicle and the | ||
roadway; and | ||
(ii) tactical aspects, including | ||
responding to events, determining when to change lanes, turning, | ||
using signals, and other related actions; and | ||
(B) does not include strategic aspects, | ||
including determining destinations or waypoints. | ||
(4) "Human operator" means a natural person in an | ||
automated motor vehicle who controls the entire dynamic driving | ||
task. | ||
(5) "Owner" has the meaning assigned by Section | ||
501.002(19), except that the term includes a manufacturer of an | ||
automated motor vehicle or of an automated driving system. | ||
Sec. 545.452. SUBCHAPTER AND DEPARTMENT GOVERN | ||
EXCLUSIVELY. (a) Unless otherwise provided by this subchapter, | ||
the following are governed exclusively by this subchapter: | ||
(1) automated motor vehicles, including any | ||
commercial use or operation of automated motor vehicles; and | ||
(2) automated driving systems. | ||
(b) A political subdivision of this state or a state agency | ||
may not impose a franchise or other regulation related to an | ||
automated motor vehicle or automated driving system. | ||
Sec. 545.453. OPERATOR OF AUTOMATED MOTOR VEHICLE. | ||
(a) When an automated driving system installed on a motor vehicle | ||
is engaged: | ||
(1) the owner of the automated driving system is | ||
considered the operator of the automated motor vehicle solely for | ||
the purpose of assessing compliance with applicable traffic or | ||
motor vehicle laws, regardless of whether the person is physically | ||
present in the vehicle while the vehicle is operating; and | ||
(2) the automated driving system is considered to be | ||
licensed to operate the vehicle. | ||
(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a licensed human | ||
operator is not required to operate a motor vehicle if an automated | ||
driving system installed on the vehicle is engaged. | ||
Sec. 545.454. AUTOMATED MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATION. (a) An | ||
automated motor vehicle may operate in this state with the | ||
automated driving system engaged, regardless of whether a human | ||
operator is physically present in the vehicle. | ||
(b) An automated motor vehicle may not operate on a highway | ||
in this state with the automated driving system engaged unless the | ||
vehicle is: | ||
(1) capable of operating in compliance with applicable | ||
traffic and motor vehicle laws of this state, subject to this | ||
subchapter; | ||
(2) equipped with a recording device system as defined | ||
by Section 547.615; | ||
(3) in compliance with applicable federal law and | ||
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; | ||
(4) registered and titled in accordance with the laws | ||
of this state; and | ||
(5) covered by motor vehicle liability coverage or | ||
self-insurance in an amount equal to the amount of coverage that is | ||
required under the laws of this state. | ||
Sec. 545.455. DUTIES FOLLOWING ACCIDENT INVOLVING | ||
AUTOMATED MOTOR VEHICLE. In the event of an accident involving an | ||
automated motor vehicle, the automated motor vehicle or any human | ||
operator of the automated motor vehicle shall, regardless of | ||
whether the operator is required to do so under Chapter 550: | ||
(1) stop the vehicle at or return the vehicle to the | ||
scene of the accident; and | ||
(2) immediately by the quickest means of communication | ||
give notice of the accident to the: | ||
(A) local police department if the accident | ||
occurred in a municipality; | ||
(B) local police department or the sheriff's | ||
office if the accident occurred not more than 100 feet outside the | ||
limits of a municipality; or | ||
(C) sheriff's office or the nearest office of the | ||
Department of Public Safety if the accident is not required to be | ||
reported under Paragraph (A) or (B). | ||
Sec. 545.456. LIABILITY. (a) The manufacturer of an | ||
automated motor vehicle or the manufacturer of an automated driving | ||
system is not liable, including for equitable relief, for damage | ||
that arises from modifications made by a person other than the | ||
manufacturer or without the consent of the manufacturer to: | ||
(1) the automated motor vehicle; or | ||
(2) an automated driving system installed on the | ||
automated motor vehicle. | ||
(b) Subsection (a) does not supersede or otherwise affect | ||
any contractual obligations between an automated motor vehicle | ||
manufacturer or automated driving system manufacturer and a person | ||
that modifies a motor vehicle after the vehicle is manufactured by | ||
installing an automated driving system in the vehicle to convert | ||
the vehicle to an automated motor vehicle. | ||
Sec. 545.457. VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION. An owner as defined | ||
by Section 502.001(31) may identify the vehicle to the department | ||
as an automated motor vehicle or an automated driving system. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) In this section, "a request to intervene" | ||
means notification by a vehicle to the human driver that the driver | ||
should promptly begin or resume performance of the entire dynamic | ||
driving task. | ||
(b) For purposes of Subchapter J, Chapter 545, | ||
Transportation Code, as added by this Act, a motor vehicle equipped | ||
with hardware and software capable of engaging in the entire | ||
dynamic driving task with the expectation that a human driver will | ||
respond appropriately to a request to intervene is subject to | ||
Sections 545.452(b) and 545.456, Transportation Code, as added by | ||
this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
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