SB226ENROLLED
Page 0
SB226
L1ICWYW-2
By Senator Allen
RFD: Transportation and Energy
First Read: 19-Mar-24
1
2
3
4
5 SB226 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 19-Mar-24
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to motor vehicles; to provide requirements for
the authorization and use of motor vehicles equipped with an
automated driving system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. For purposes of this act, the following
terms have the following meanings:
(1) ADS-EQUIPPED VEHICLE. A vehicle equipped with an
automated driving system.
(2) AUTOMATED DRIVING SYSTEM or ADS. The hardware and
software that are collectively capable of performing the
entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis regardless of
whether it is limited to a specific operational design domain.
(3) CONVENTIONAL HUMAN DRIVER. An individual, licensed
or otherwise permitted by law to operate a vehicle, who
manually exercises in-vehicle braking, accelerating, steering,
and transmission gear selection input devices in order to
operate a vehicle.
(4) DYNAMIC DRIVING TASK or DDT. All of the real-time
operational and tactical functions required to operate a
vehicle in on-road traffic, excluding the strategic functions
such as trip scheduling and selection of destinations and
waypoints, including, but not limited to:
a. Lateral vehicle motion control via steering.
b. Longitudinal vehicle motion control via acceleration
and deceleration.
c. Monitoring the driving environment via object and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 SB226 Enrolled
Page 2
c. Monitoring the driving environment via object and
event detection, recognition, classification, and response
preparation.
d. Object and event response execution.
e. Manuever planning.
f. Enhancing conspicuity via lighting, signaling, and
gesturing.
(5) FULLY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE. A motor vehicle equipped
with an automated driving system designed to function without
a human driver as a Level 4 or Level 5 automation system under
the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Standard J3016.
(6) MINIMAL RISK CONDITION. A stable, stopped condition
to which a user or an automated driving system may bring a
vehicle after performing the DDT fallback in order to reduce
the risk of a crash when a given trip cannot or should not be
continued.
(7) ON-DEMAND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE NETWORK. A
transportation service or network that uses a software
application or other digital means to dispatch or otherwise
enable the prearrangement of transportation with ADS-equipped
vehicles for purposes of transporting passengers or goods,
including for-hire transportation and transportation of
passengers or goods for compensation.
(8) OPERATIONAL DESIGN DOMAIN or ODD. Operating
conditions under which a given ADS or feature thereof is
specifically designed to function, including, but not limited
to, environmental, geographical, and time-of-day restrictions,
and the requisite presence or absence of certain traffic or
roadway characteristics
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56 SB226 Enrolled
Page 3
roadway characteristics
Section 2. (a) An person may operate an ADS-equipped
vehicle with the ADS engaged on the public roads of this state
only under the following conditions:
(1) The ADS-equipped vehicle is capable of complying
with the following:
a. All applicable traffic and motor vehicle safety laws
and rules of this state which govern the performance of the
dynamic driving task, unless an exemption has been granted
pursuant to subsection (b).
b. All applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards, except to the extent an exemption has been granted
under applicable federal law.
c. All applicable traffic control devices, including,
but not limited to, speed limit signs, other regulatory signs,
advisory signs, warning signs, barriers, and construction or
work zone signs.
(2) The ADS-equipped vehicle shall be registered and
titled in accordance with the laws of this state.
(b) An ADS-equipped vehicle may be operated on the
public roads of this state without a conventional human driver
physically present in the vehicle if the vehicle is capable of
achieving a minimal risk condition.
Section 3. A fully autonomous vehicle may operate on
public roads in this state only if a person submits proof to
the Department of Revenue of financial responsibility that the
fully autonomous vehicle has single limits liability coverage,
by contract of insurance or by qualifying as a self-insurer,
of not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84 SB226 Enrolled
Page 4
of not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).
Section 4. If a traffic accident occurs that involves
an ADS-equipped vehicle that is being operated without a
conventional human driver, the requirements of Chapter 10 of
Title 32, Code of Alabama 1975, do not apply to the
ADS-equipped vehicle, provided all of the following occur:
(1) The owner of the ADS-equipped vehicle, or a person
acting on behalf of the owner, promptly contacts the
applicable law enforcement agency to report the crash.
(2) If the ADS-equipped vehicle has the capability of
promptly alerting a law enforcement agency or emergency
services, the vehicle alerts a law enforcement agency or
emergency services to the traffic accident.
(3) The ADS-equipped vehicle remains at the scene or in
the immediate vicinity of the crash until law enforcement
arrives.
(4) In accordance with Chapter 7A of Title 32, Code of
Alabama 1975, the ADS-equipped vehicle's registration and
insurance information is provided to the parties affected by
the traffic accident.
(5) In the event an ADS-equipped vehicle is not an
automated commercial motor vehicle under Section 32-9B-1 but
is being operated by a commercial entity without a
conventional human driver, the owner of the ADS-equipped
vehicle shall be deemed the operator of the vehicle and shall
maintain the ability to respond to damages for liability on
account of any accidents arising from the use of the
ADS-equipped vehicle or automated driving system in the
minimum amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112 SB226 Enrolled
Page 5
minimum amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per
accident for death, bodily injury, and property damage to a
third party.
Section 5. A conventional human driver of an
ADS-equipped vehicle is required to have a valid driver
license for the class of vehicle being operated.
Section 6. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this act
or in Chapter 9B of Title 32, Code of Alabama 1975, and
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the operation of
ADS-equipped vehicles and automated driving systems is
governed exclusively by this act.
(b) No state or local entity may impose requirements,
including performance standards, specific to the operation of
ADS-equipped vehicles, automated driving systems, or automated
commercial vehicles as defined in Section 32-9B-1, Code of
Alabama 1975, except as specifically authorized by this act.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal or in any
way modify Section 32-9-29, Code of Alabama 1975.
(c) No municipality or other local or state entity may
impose a tax on, or impose requirements on ADS-equipped
vehicles or automated driving systems, where the tax or other
requirement relates specifically to the operation of
ADS-equipped vehicles.
Section 7. For purposes of this act and for assessing
compliance with applicable traffic or motor vehicle laws,
including rules of the road, unless the context otherwise
requires, the automated driving system shall be deemed to be
the operator of an ADS-equipped vehicle when all of the
following apply:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140 SB226 Enrolled
Page 6
following apply:
(1) The automated driving system is engaged and solely
responsible for the driving task.
(2) The automated driving system is being operated and
maintained as intended by the manufacturer of the ADS-equipped
vehicle.
(3) A request to intervene has not been issued by the
ADS-equipped vehicle.
Section 8. (a) Liability for a traffic accident
involving an ADS-equipped vehicle shall be determined in
accordance with applicable state law, federal law, or common
law.
(b) The original manufacturer of a vehicle converted by
a third party into an ADS-equipped vehicle may not be held
liable in, and shall have a defense to and be dismissed from,
any legal action brought against the original manufacturer by
any individual injured due to an alleged vehicle defect caused
by the conversion of the vehicle, or by equipment installed by
the converter, unless the alleged defect was present in the
vehicle as originally manufactured.
Section 9. (a) An ADS-equipped vehicle that is designed
to be operated exclusively by an automated driving system for
all trips shall not be subject to motor vehicle equipment laws
or rules of this state that relate to or support motor vehicle
operation by a conventional human driver but are not relevant
to an automated driving system.
(b) Any ADS-equipped vehicle or automated commercial
vehicle, as defined in Section 32-9B-1, Code of Alabama 1975,
may be equipped with ADS marker lamps in accordance with the
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168 SB226 Enrolled
Page 7
may be equipped with ADS marker lamps in accordance with the
SAE Recommended Practice and Standard guidelines, including
SAE J3134. For purposes of this section, an ADS marker lamp
means a device that emits light to indicate when an ADS is
engaged in the operation of the vehicle.
Section 10. An on-demand autonomous vehicle network
shall be permitted to operate pursuant to state laws governing
the operation of transportation network companies with the
exception that any provision of this state's laws, including
Chapter 7C of Title 32, Code of Alabama 1975, which reasonably
applies only to a conventional human driver would not apply to
the operation of ADS-equipped vehicles with the ADS engaged on
an on-demand autonomous vehicle network. A fully autonomous
vehicle with the automated driving system engaged while logged
on to an on-demand autonomous vehicle network must meet the
insurance requirements in Section 4.
Section 11. Nothing in this act is intended to, nor be
construed to, require a county to construct, upgrade,
maintain, or place traffic control devices on county roads in
a manner that is above and beyond the manner in which roads
are constructed, upgraded, maintained, or designed for all
other vehicular traffic.
Section 12. This act shall become effective October 1,
2024.
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191 SB226 Enrolled
Page 8
2024.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB226
Senate 30-Apr-24
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate, as amended.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Amended and passed: 09-May-24
Senate concurred in House amendment 09-May-24
By: Senator Allen
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229