SB80: Bill Text

LRB-0498/2

ARG:eev:rs

2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE

2013 Senate BILL 80

March 13, 2013 - Introduced by Senators Risser, Schultz, L. Taylor and Lazich, cosponsored by Representatives Jorgensen, Ohnstad, Ringhand, Sargent and Berceau. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs.

SB80,1,3 An Act to create 110.23, 340.01 (4k), (4m) and (4p), 340.01 (28c), 346.921 and 346.95 (12) of the statutes; relating to: the operation of autonomous vehicles on the highways, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill authorizes operation of autonomous vehicles on highways in this state if specified requirements are met. An "autonomous vehicle" is a motor vehicle equipped with autonomous technology and "autonomous technology" is technology installed on a motor vehicle that has the capability to drive the vehicle without active physical control or monitoring by a human operator. An autonomous vehicle is operated in "autonomous mode" when the vehicle is operated with the vehicle's autonomous technology engaged.

Under this bill, an autonomous vehicle may be operated in autonomous mode on a highway if all of the following apply: 1) a human operator is present in the vehicle and has the ability to monitor the vehicle's performance and intervene, if necessary, to disengage the autonomous technology and take immediate control of the autonomous vehicle; 2) the human operator has a valid operator's license; 3) there is motor vehicle liability insurance coverage for operation of the autonomous vehicle of at least $5,000,000; 4) the vehicle has a means to engage and disengage the autonomous technology that is easily accessible to the operator; 5) the vehicle has a means to visually indicate when the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode; 6) the vehicle has a means to alert the operator of an autonomous technology failure so that the operator may take control of the vehicle; 7) the vehicle is capable of being operated in compliance with applicable traffic and motor vehicle laws; 8) while the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode, the vehicle captures and stores autonomous technology sensor data for at least 30 seconds before any collision; and 9) the vehicle satisfies all requirements imposed by rule by the Department of Transportation (DOT). DOT may promulgate rules establishing requirements for autonomous vehicles, including minimum safety and performance standards for these vehicles and for their operation. For purposes pertaining to the operation of an autonomous vehicle operating in autonomous mode, the "operator" is the human operator required to be present in the vehicle or, if no human operator is present, the person who causes the vehicle's autonomous technology to engage. The bill also requires the manufacturer of autonomous technology to disclose what information is collected by the autonomous technology.

The bill prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle in autonomous mode on a highway in this state unless the operation is in compliance with the foregoing requirements. A person who violates this prohibition may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $1,000.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB80,1 Section 1. 110.23 of the statutes is created to read:

SB80,2,6 110.23 Autonomous vehicles. (1) Except as otherwise provided under federal law and regulations, in addition to all applicable requirements for the vehicle under chs. 110 and 341 to 349, an autonomous vehicle may not be operated in autonomous mode on a highway in this state unless the autonomous vehicle satisfies all of the following requirements:

SB80,2,8 (a) The vehicle has a means to engage and disengage the autonomous technology that is easily accessible to the operator.

SB80,2,10 (b) The vehicle has a means, inside the vehicle, to visually indicate when the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode.

SB80,3,3 (c) The vehicle has a means to alert the operator of an autonomous technology failure detected while the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode so that the operator may take control of the vehicle.

SB80,3,5 (d) The vehicle is capable of being operated in compliance with the applicable traffic and motor vehicle laws of this state.

SB80,3,8 (e) While the vehicle is operating in autonomous mode, the vehicle captures and stores, in a read-only format, autonomous technology sensor data for at least 30 seconds before any collision involving the autonomous vehicle.

SB80,3,10 (f) The vehicle satisfies all requirements imposed by the department by rule under sub. (3).

SB80,3,14 (2) The manufacturer of autonomous technology shall provide a written disclosure to the purchaser of the autonomous technology, or to the purchaser of an autonomous vehicle equipped with the autonomous technology, that describes any information that is collected by the autonomous technology.

SB80,3,18 (3) The department may promulgate rules establishing requirements for autonomous vehicles operating in autonomous mode on highways in this state, including minimum safety and performance standards for these vehicles and for their operation.

SB80,2 Section 2. 340.01 (4k), (4m) and (4p) of the statutes are created to read:

SB80,3,23 340.01 (4k) "Autonomous mode" means, with respect to an autonomous vehicle, the operation of the autonomous vehicle with the vehicle's autonomous technology engaged, regardless of whether any person is physically present in the vehicle.

SB80,4,7 (4m) "Autonomous technology" means technology installed on a motor vehicle that has the capability to drive the vehicle without active physical control or monitoring by a human operator. "Autonomous technology" does not include collision avoidance, driver assistance, or safety systems such as electronic blind spot assistance, automated emergency braking, parking assistance, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assistance or lane-departure warning, or traffic jam and queuing assistance, unless any such system alone or in combination with other systems enables the vehicle to be driven without active physical control or monitoring by a human operator.

SB80,4,9 (4p) "Autonomous vehicle" means any motor vehicle equipped with autonomous technology.

SB80,3 Section 3. 340.01 (28c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB80,4,16 340.01 (28c) "Manufacturer of autonomous technology" is the person that originally manufactures a motor vehicle and equips autonomous technology on the originally completed motor vehicle or, in the case of a motor vehicle not originally equipped with autonomous technology by the vehicle manufacturer, the person that modifies the motor vehicle by installing autonomous technology to convert it to an autonomous vehicle after the motor vehicle was originally manufactured.

SB80,4 Section 4. 346.921 of the statutes is created to read:

SB80,4,20 346.921 Operation of autonomous vehicles. (1) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), an autonomous vehicle may not be operated in autonomous mode on a highway in this state.

SB80,4,22 (b) Subject to s. 110.23, an autonomous vehicle may be operated in autonomous mode on a highway in this state if all of the following apply:

SB80,4,25 1. A human operator is present in the autonomous vehicle and has the ability to monitor the vehicle's performance and intervene, if necessary, to disengage the autonomous technology and take immediate control of the autonomous vehicle.

SB80,5,2 2. The human operator described in subd. 1. possesses a valid operator's license for the vehicle class to which the autonomous vehicle belongs.

SB80,5,7 3. A motor vehicle liability policy covering operation of the autonomous vehicle has been provided to the department. For purposes of this subdivision, "motor vehicle liability policy" has the meaning given in s. 344.61 (2), except that the minimum policy limit for bodily injury to or death of 2 or more persons in any one accident shall be $5,000,000.

SB80,5,11 (2) For purposes of chs. 110 and 341 to 349 and 351, the operator of an autonomous vehicle operating in autonomous mode is the human operator present as required under sub. (1) (b) 1. or, if no human operator is present, the person who causes the vehicle's autonomous technology to engage.

SB80,5 Section 5. 346.95 (12) of the statutes is created to read:

SB80,5,14 346.95 (12) Any person violating s. 346.921 may be required to forfeit not less than $100 nor more than $1,000.

SB80,6 Section 6. Initial applicability.

SB80,5,17 (1) This act first applies to vehicles operated on the effective date of this subsection.

SB80,7 Section 7. Effective date.

SB80,5,20 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 7th month beginning after publication.

SB80,5,21 (End)