BILL REQ. #:  H-0512.1 

Read first time 01/28/13.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to autonomous vehicles; adding a new chapter to Title 46 RCW; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds and declares the following:
     (1) Development of new technology that through the use of computers, sensors, and other systems permits a motor vehicle to operate without the active control and continuous monitoring of a human operator is actively under way. Motor vehicles with this technology, referred to as autonomous vehicles, offer significant potential safety, mobility, and commercial benefits for individuals and businesses in the state and elsewhere;
     (2) Autonomous vehicles have been operated safely on public roads in other states in recent years by companies developing and testing this technology;
     (3) The state of Washington, which presently does not prohibit or specifically regulate the operation of autonomous vehicles, desires to encourage the current and future development, testing, and operation of autonomous vehicles on the public roads of the state. The state also seeks to avoid interrupting these activities while at the same time creating appropriate rules intended to ensure that the testing and operation of autonomous vehicles in the state are conducted in a safe manner; and
     (4) Toward that end, it is appropriate to authorize the establishment of specific safety requirements for the testing and operation of autonomous vehicles, and to require that future testing and operation of autonomous vehicles in the state comply with those requirements.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) An autonomous vehicle may be operated on the public roads of this state if the manufacturer of the autonomous vehicle certifies, in a manner to be determined by the state patrol, that the vehicle meets all of the safety standards and performance requirements adopted by the state patrol to ensure the safe operation of the vehicle.
     (2) A manufacturer of an autonomous vehicle may operate the vehicle for testing purposes on the public roads of this state if the manufacturer and the vehicle to be tested meet the testing safety requirements adopted by the state patrol.
     (3) For purposes of this section and section 3 of this act:
     (a) "Autonomous vehicle" means a motor vehicle that uses computers, sensors, and other technology and devices to enable the vehicle to safely operate without the active control and continuous monitoring of a human operator. "Autonomous vehicle" does not include a vehicle equipped with one or more crash avoidance systems, including, but not limited to, electronic blind spot assistance, automated emergency braking systems, park assist, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, traffic jam and queuing assist, or other similar systems that enhance safety or provide driver assistance, but are not capable, collectively or singularly, of driving the vehicle without the active control and continuous monitoring of a human operator.
     (b) "Manufacturer of an autonomous vehicle" means the person that manufactures the autonomous vehicle as an originally completed vehicle or, in the case of a vehicle not originally equipped with autonomous technology, the person that modifies the vehicle to convert it to an autonomous vehicle.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The state patrol shall adopt rules to implement this chapter. The rules must include, but not be limited to, the following:
     (1) A licensed driver must operate an autonomous vehicle at all times during its operation;
     (2) An autonomous vehicle must comply with the federal motor vehicle safety standards;
     (3) A licensed driver is legally responsible for the autonomous vehicle for traffic infractions and criminal offenses in the same manner as a driver of a nonautonomous vehicle;
     (4) A commercial vehicle may not be an autonomous vehicle; and
     (5) An autonomous vehicle must be a single vehicle only and be restricted from towing operations.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   This chapter does not prohibit the operation and testing of autonomous vehicles on the public roads of this state on or before the adoption of rules by the state patrol pursuant to section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act takes effect January 1, 2014.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   Sections 1 through 5 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 46 RCW.