83R10529 AJZ-F
By: Capriglione H.B. No. 2932
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the operation of autonomous motor vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 541.001(1), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(1) "Operator" means, as used in reference to a
vehicle, a person who drives or has physical control of a vehicle,
except as provided by Section 545.428(b).
SECTION 2. Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 545.428 to read as follows:
Sec. 545.428. AUTONOMOUS MOTOR VEHICLES. (a) In this
section:
(1) "Autonomous motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle
that uses autonomous technology to operate itself without the
active control or continuous monitoring of a person.
(2) "Autonomous technology" means technology
installed on a motor vehicle enabling the vehicle to operate
without the active control or continuous monitoring of a person.
The term does not include, except to the extent that such a system
may be a component of autonomous technology, individual safety
systems or driver assistance systems that enhance safety or provide
driver assistance, but are not individually capable of operating a
motor vehicle without the active control or continuous monitoring
of a person, such as systems designed to provide:
(A) collision avoidance;
(B) electronic blind spot assistance;
(C) crash avoidance;
(D) automated emergency braking;
(E) parking assistance;
(F) adaptive cruise control;
(G) lane keep assistance;
(H) lane departure warning; or
(I) traffic jam and queuing assistance.
(b) The operator of an autonomous motor vehicle operating
with the use of autonomous technology is the person who causes the
vehicle's autonomous technology to engage, regardless of whether
the person is physically in the autonomous motor vehicle while the
vehicle is operating.
(c) A person who operates an autonomous motor vehicle under
Subsection (b) must possess a valid driver's license.
(d) The department shall adopt rules authorizing the
operation of autonomous motor vehicles on roadways and public
highways in this state, including rules:
(1) establishing minimum requirements that an
autonomous motor vehicle must meet before the vehicle may be
operated on a roadway or public highway in this state;
(2) establishing insurance requirements for:
(A) autonomous motor vehicle operators in this
state; and
(B) manufacturers of autonomous motor vehicles
that may test their vehicles in this state;
(3) governing the safe operation of autonomous motor
vehicles on roadways and public highways in this state;
(4) governing the testing of autonomous motor vehicles
in this state; and
(5) restricting the testing of autonomous motor
vehicles to certain geographic regions of this state.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.