SENATE DOCKET, NO. 643        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1841

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Brian A. Joyce

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to autonomous vehicles.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 643        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1841

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to autonomous vehicles.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 90 of the Massachusetts General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following section:-

Section 1J. (a) The following words used in this section shall have the following meanings, unless a different meaning is clearly apparent from the language or context, or unless such construction is inconsistent with the manifest intention of the legislature:

“Autonomous vehicle” a motor vehicle that uses computers, sensors, and other technology and devices that enable the vehicle to safely operate without the active control and continuous monitoring of a human operator. 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 queing 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, is not an autonomous vehicle. 

“Department” the Massachusetts Department of Transportation

“Manufacturer” the individual or company 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

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), autonomous vehicles may be operated on the public roads if the manufacturer of the autonomous vehicle certifies, in a manner to be determined by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, that the vehicle meets all of the safety standards and performance requirements adopted by the department to ensure the safe operation of the vehicle.

(c) A manufacturer of an autonomous vehicle may operate the vehicle for testing purposes on the public roads if the manufacturer and the vehicle to be tested meet the testing safety requirements adopted by the department.

(d) This section shall not prohibit the operation and testing of autonomous vehicles on the public roads on or before the adoption of regulations by the department.

SECTION 2.  The department shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this section.