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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to relating to autonomous motor vehicles. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. 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. (a) In this section, "autonomous motor |
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vehicle" has the meaning assigned by Section 545.428, |
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Transportation Code. |
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(b) The department shall establish a program to provide an |
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autonomous motor vehicle operation designation either on the face |
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of a driver's license or on the reverse side of the driver's license |
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issued to a person who is authorized to operate an autonomous motor |
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vehicle under Section 545.428. |
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SECTION 2. 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 3. 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; PILOT |
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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 Texas Department of Safety; |
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(B) The Texas Department of Transportation; |
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(C) 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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(D) an upfitter authorized by the department to |
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operate autonomous motor vehicles. |
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(d) 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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(e) 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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(f) The Texas Department of Transportation may establish an |
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autonomous freight transportation pilot program to collaborate |
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with autonomous motor vehicle manufacturers and upfitters to test |
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the use of autonomous motor vehicles for heavy freight |
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transportation purposes. |
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(g) The Texas Department of Transportation shall establish |
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a plan to install or deploy roadside infrastructure for a statewide |
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wireless communication system to support vehicle-to-infrastructure |
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communications that are essential to the proper performance or |
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operation of autonomous motor vehicles. The plan must incorporate |
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the dedicated short-range communications protocols of the United |
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States Department of Transportation and the microwave bands |
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allocated by the Federal Communications Commission for dedicated |
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short-range communications. The Texas Department of |
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Transportation may explore other wireless methods of communication |
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for communications that are not essential to the proper performance |
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or operation of autonomous motor vehicles. |
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SECTION 4. 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. |