Autonomous vehicles.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on how the DMV will enforce these rules or define what qualifies as a 'human safety operator'.

Rules for Autonomous Vehicle Deliveries

This law stops companies from using self-driving vehicles without a human safety operator to deliver goods directly to homes or businesses in California, and sets fines for breaking this rule.

What This Bill Does

• Prohibits the use of autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars) to deliver commercial goods directly to homes or businesses unless there is a human safety operator present.
• Sets penalties for companies that break this rule: first violation costs $10,000 and each repeat offense can cost up to $25,000.
• Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to report on how self-driving technology affects public safety and jobs.
• Prohibits issuing deployment permits for commercial goods delivery by autonomous vehicles without a human safety operator until new laws are made allowing it.

Who It Names or Affects

• Companies that deliver goods using self-driving cars or trucks.
• The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and other state agencies involved in transportation and environmental regulations.

Terms To Know

Autonomous vehicle

A car, truck, or other vehicle that can drive itself without a human driver.

Commercial goods

Items bought and sold for business purposes.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify when new laws allowing autonomous vehicle deliveries without a safety operator might be made.
• It is unclear how the DMV will enforce these rules or what exactly qualifies as a 'human safety operator'.

Official Summary Text

AB 33, as amended, Aguiar-Curry.
Autonomous vehicles.
Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as specified, and that application is approved. A violation of the Vehicle Code or a local ordinance adopted pursuant to that code is an infraction.
This bill would prohibit the delivery of commercial goods, as defined, directly to a residence or to a business for its use or retail sale through the operation of an autonomous vehicle without a human
safety
operator on any highway within the State of California. The bill would
declare that a violation of this prohibition is not an infraction and is instead punishable by a civil fine not to exceed $25,000 for each instance of the violation. The bill would make certain findings and declarations related to these provisions.
make a first violation of this provision subject to a $10,000 administrative fine and a $25,000 administrative fine for subsequent violations. The bill would authorize the department to suspend or revoke the permit of an autonomous vehicle manufacturer for repeated violations of this provision.
The bill would require the department to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the performance of autonomous vehicle technology and its impact on public
safety and employment, as specified. This bill would require all relevant state agencies, including, among others, the Department of Transportation and the State Air Resources Board, to provide information to the department to research this report. The bill would prohibit the department from issuing a deployment permit for the use of an autonomous vehicle to deliver commercial goods without a human
safety
operator until a later enacted statute authorizes the issuance of a permit for that purpose.
The bill would also make certain findings and declarations related to these provisions.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF