HLS 14RS-641 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 938
BY REPRESENTATIVE LEGER
MOTOR VEHICLES: Authorizes the research and testing of autonomous vehicles
AN ACT1
To enact Part XVII of Chapter 3 of Title 32 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be2
comprised of R.S. 32:691 through 693, relative to researching and testing of3
autonomous motor vehicles; to provide requirements for autonomous motor vehicle4
testing; and to provide for related matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. Part XVII of Chapter 3 of Title 32 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of7
1950, comprised of R.S. 32:691 through 693, is hereby enacted to read as follows: 8
PART XVII. RESEARCH AND TESTING OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES9
§691. Autonomous motor vehicles; requirements for testing10
A. An autonomous motor vehicle may be operated on public roads for testing11
purposes if:12
(1) The entity performing the testing has submitted a certificate of13
mandatory liability insurance or proof of self-insurance acceptable to the Department14
of Transportation and Development in an amount not less than five million dollars;15
and16
(2) A person, designated by the testing entity, with a valid driver's license17
is present in the autonomous motor vehicle to monitor the vehicle's performance and18
intervene if there is a failure of the autonomous technology.19 HLS 14RS-641 ORIGINAL
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B. Except as provided in Subsection A of this Section, an autonomous motor1
vehicle shall not be operated on public roads before the manufacturer receives an2
autonomous motor vehicle permit from the Department of Transportation and3
Development. The Department of Transportation and Development has the sole4
authority over the issuance of autonomous motor vehicle permits and may establish5
and collect costs for permits pending legislative approval of such costs.6
C. The application for an autonomous motor vehicle permit shall contain all7
of the following certifications:8
(1) The autonomous motor vehicle has a mechanism to disengage the9
autonomous technology that is accessible to the operator.10
(2) The autonomous motor vehicle has a visual indicator inside the cabin and11
outside the vehicle to indicate when the autonomous technology is engaged.12
(3)(a) The autonomous motor vehicle has a system to safely alert the13
operator if an autonomous technology failure is detected while the autonomous14
technology is engaged, and when an alert is given, the system must require the15
operator to take control of the autonomous motor vehicle.16
(b) The operator must be able to take control of the autonomous motor17
vehicle in multiple manners, including through the use of the brake, the accelerator18
pedal, or the steering wheel, and the vehicle must alert the operator that the19
autonomous technology has been disengaged.20
(c) If the operator does not or is unable to take control of the autonomous21
motor vehicle, the autonomous motor vehicle must be capable of coming to a22
complete and safe stop on its own.23
(4) The autonomous motor vehicle and its technology meet the Federal24
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, 49 CFR Part 571, for the vehicle's model year and25
all applicable safety and performance requirements set forth in state and federal law26
and the regulations promulgated pursuant to those laws.27
(5)(a) The autonomous motor vehicle has a separate mechanism, in addition,28
and separate from, any other mechanism required by law, to capture and store the29 HLS 14RS-641 ORIGINAL
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autonomous technology sensor data for at least thirty seconds before a collision1
occurs between the autonomous motor vehicle and another vehicle or object while2
the vehicle is operating autonomously.3
(b) The sensor data must be captured and stored in a read-only format by the4
mechanism so that the data is retained until extracted from the mechanism by an5
external device capable of downloading and storing the data. The data must be6
preserved for three years after the date of the collision.7
§692. Progress report8
The secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development shall9
submit a report to the legislature evaluating the feasibility and safety implications of10
authorizing the operation of autonomous motor vehicles beyond the testing phase,11
indicating the progress of the adoption or amendment of relevant administrative rules12
issued pursuant to this Part, and recommending any additional legislation or13
regulatory action that may be required for the safe testing and operation of14
autonomous vehicles no later than the final adjournment of the 2016 Regular Session15
of the Legislature.16
§693. Liability17
The original manufacturer of a non-autonomous motor vehicle converted by18
a third party into an autonomous motor vehicle shall not be liable for, and shall have19
a defense to, any legal action brought against the original manufacturer by any20
person injured due to an alleged vehicle defect caused by the conversion of the21
vehicle, or by equipment installed during the conversion, unless the alleged defect22
was present in the vehicle as originally manufactured, or the original manufacturer23
directed or approved the conversion.24 HLS 14RS-641 ORIGINAL
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DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Leger HB No. 938
Abstract: Authorizes the research and testing of autonomous motor vehicles in the state.
Proposed law allows testing of autonomous vehicles on public roads if the testing entity has
met various requirements, including but not limited to submitting a certificate of mandatory
liability insurance or proof of self-insurance acceptable to the Dept. of Transportation and
Development, a person with a valid driver's license is in the vehicle and is able to intervene
if there is a failure in the technology, and the manufacturer applies for and receives an
autonomous motor vehicle permit from the Dept. of Transportation and Development.
Proposed law requires that the application for an autonomous motor vehicle permit contain
certifications, including, but not limited to a certification that the autonomous vehicle has
a mechanism to disengage the autonomous technology accessible to the operator,
certification that the autonomous vehicle has a system to alert the operator if an autonomous
technology failure is detected, and a certification that the autonomous vehicle and its
technology meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, 49 CFR 571, for the vehicle's
model year.
Proposed law requires the secretary of the Dept. of Transportation and Development to
submit a report recommending any additional legislation or regulatory action that may be
required for the safe testing and use of autonomous vehicles by the final adjournment of the
2016 Regular Session.
Proposed law limits the liability of non-autonomous motor vehicle manufacturers who
manufacture vehicles that are later converted to autonomous motor vehicles.
(Adds R.S. 32:691 - 693)