Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026

May 1, 2026

Nyasha Howard
Secretary to the Council
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004

Secretary Howard:

Today, along with Councilmembers Pinto and Frumin, I am introducing the “Autonomous Vehicle
Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026 .” Please find enclosed a signed copy of the
legislation.

The growing proliferation of autonomous vehicles (“AVs”) presents an opportunity to improve traffic
safety and consumer choice in the District. Autonomous vehicle proponents tout AVs’ traffic safety
record, claiming that AVs are already safer than the average human driver and are continuously
improving. AVs can also provide more equitable access to rideshare services, as they can better
accommodate people with disabilities.

Despite the numerous benefits associated with autonomous vehicles, there are legitimate concerns
about their use. The deployment of more vehicles on District roadways can exacerbate traffic
congestion, increase demand for limited curbside space, and draw riders away from more sustainable
options like public transit and active transportation. Additionally, the deployment of commercial AV
operations will compete with existing taxi, rideshare, and delivery workers, potentially displacing
them in the transportation sector. Crashes or moving violations involving AVs present novel questions
regarding who is held responsible for any resulting civil or legal liability. And some people are simply
skeptical that AVs enhance traffic safety based on recent incidents where AVs were disabled following
a power outages and dangerously passed a stopped school bus.

Currently, the District only allows AV companies to engage in testing with a test operator physically
present in the vehicle. The District Department of Transportation has been tasked with developing a
driverless testing permit for years now, but progress has stalled . This bill will pave the way for
deployment of commercial AVs through an iterative process. Specifically, the bill:

Establishes a Commercial Autonomous Vehicle Program within the District Department of
Transportation (“DDOT”) that will issue and monitor compliance with commercial AV permits.
Eligibility for a permit is limited to applicants with a demonstrated record of safe testing in the District.
Applicants must submit documents in support of their application, including a first responder
interaction plan that ensure police, fire, EMS, and other emergency personnel can safely interact with
AVs on the road , as well as a continuity of operations plan that outlines how the AV will maintain
operational or otherwise respond to challenges like power outages or network failures.

Creates a phased timeline for the deployment of commercial AVs. The bill requires that DDOT release
a permit for driverless AV testing within 60 days of the law’s effective date. This advances the District
to the next phase of testing, and allows operators to demonstrate that their vehicles can safely
operate without a human driver present. 120 days after the release of the driverless testing permit,
DDOT would then release its commercial AV permit, which allows AV operators to begin offering rides
in the District. Until January 1, 2028, commercial AV operators’ fleet size would be limited to 200
vehicles. After January 1, 2028, commercial AV operators can submit an on-demand vehicle network
comprehensive plan that, if approved, will allow the operator to increase their fleet size . The
comprehensive plan explains how the operator will lawfully park and store their vehicles , minimize
passenger-less vehicle trips (i.e., “deadheading”) and the associated traffic congestion, ensure riders
from all eight wards have equitable access to AVs, and develop a user interface that allows people
with disabilities to request a ride.

Establishes Clear Rules for Engaging Autonomous Driving Features (Personal and Commercial). The
bill also establishes clear rules governing when an AV’s autonomous driving system can be engaged
that account for the various levels of autonomous driving technology that are available, their
respective capabilities, and the risks associated with their use. The bill broadly allows for the use of
Level 1 and Level 2 autonomous driving systems, which are driver assistance systems that still require
the human driver to remain in control. The bill generally restricts the use of Level 3, 4, and 5 systems,
except when an operator has received a permit for either commercial operations or testing. To ensure
the District is aware of vehicles with Level 3, 4, and 5 autonomous driving systems (e.g., fully or semi-
autonomous vehicles), manufacturers of these systems must register their products with DDOT.

Establishes a Vehicle Miles Traveled Tax. The bill establishes a vehicle miles traveled (“VMT”) tax for
commercial AV operators of $0.15/mile. The VMT encourages AV operators to minimize passenger-
less operations and circuitous routing.

Improves Public Transit. To address concerns that AV deployment will contribute to traffic congestion
and pull riders away from public transit , the bill invests a portion of the revenue collected from AV
operations into public transit infrastructure and service improvements . The bill also encourages AV
operators to collaborate with WMATA to develop a system that offers discounted fares for AV rides
that connect to public transit.

Supporting Existing Taxi and Rideshare Workers . The bill requires that DDOT, in collaboration with
the Department of For-Hire Vehicles and the Department of Employment Services, publish a report
analyzing the impact of AV deployment on the taxi and rideshare industries . The bill i nvests the
remaining portion of the revenue collected from AV operations to support taxi and rideshare drivers
through education, vocational training, and workforce development.

Clarifies how existing traffic safety laws and liability rules apply to autonomous vehicles. The bill
provides guidance on when the human driver or the autonomous driving system should be considered
the “driver” for the purposes of liability, tailored to the vehicle’s level of automation. This clarification
will help litigants avoid lengthy product liability disputes.

Together, these provisions will allow for the safe deployment of commercial AVs while
legitimate concerns regarding this exciting, but nascent, technology.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6
Chairperson, Committee on Transportation & the Environment

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Councilmember Charles Allen 2
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_____________________________ _____________________________ 6
Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Brooke Pinto 7
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A BILL 10
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 15
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To amend the Autonomous Vehicle Act of 2012 to establish a Commercial Autonomous Vehicles 20
Program within the District Department of Transportation (“DDOT”) allowing for certain 21
autonomous vehicles to transport passengers and goods in the District, to require that 22
applicants and recipients of a commercial AV permit submit planning documents, reports, 23
and data to DDOT, to enumerate the conditions under which an autonomous driving system 24
can be engaged, to establish penalties for noncompliance with program requirements and 25
an appeals process, to establish the Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Fund, to create a 26
vehicle miles traveled tax that applies to commercial AV operations , and to require that 27
autonomous driving system manufacturers register their products with DDOT. 28
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 30
act may be cited as the “Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 31
2026”. 32
Sec. 2. The Autonomous Vehicle Act of 2012, effective April 23, 2013 (D.C. Law 19 -33
278); D.C. Official Code § 50-2351 et seq.) is amended as follows: 34
(a) Section 2 (D.C. Official Code § 50-2351) is amended as follows: 35
(1) Paragraph (2D) is amended to read as follows: 36

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“(2D) “Minimal risk condition” means a condition to which a human driver or an 37
autonomous driving system brings an autonomous vehicle to reduce the risk of a collision when a 38
given trip cannot or should not be completed.”. 39
(2) New paragraphs (1A-i), (1F), (1G), (2C-i), (2C-ii), (2C-iii), (2C-iv), (2D-i), (2F-40
i), (2F-ii), (2F-iii), and (5) are added to read as follows: 41
“(1A-i) “Autonomous driving system manufacturer” or “ADS manufacturer” 42
means any person that designs, produces, sells, or distributes , for op eration or use within the 43
District: 44
“(A) A covered autonomous driving system; 45
“(B) A covered semi-autonomous driving system; or 46
“(C) A motor vehicle equipped with an autonomous driving system 47
described in subparagraphs (A) or (B) of this paragraph. 48
“(1F) “Commercial AV permit” means a permit to operate autonomous vehicles 49
with its covered autonomous driving system engaged and without an in-person driver on roadways 50
in the District in furtherance of a commercial activity. 51
“(1G) “Covered autonomous driving system” means an autonomous driving system 52
that meets the SAE J3016 Level 4 or 5 criteria. 53
“(1H) “Covered semi-autonomous driving system” means an autonomous driving 54
system that meets the SAE J3016 Level 3 criteria. 55
“(2C-i) “First responder” means a natural person who provides firefighting, law 56
enforcement, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services. 57
“(2C-ii) “First responder interaction plan” means a document providing guidance 58
to first responders on potential interactions with autonomous vehicles, including: 59

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“(A) How to communicate with the permittee’s or the ADS manufacturer’s 60
fleet support specialist who is available while the autonomous vehicle is in operation; 61
“(B) How to safely tow or remove an autonomous vehicle from a roadway; 62
“(C) How to recognize whether an autonomous vehicle has its autonomous 63
driving system engaged; 64
“(D) A technical description of how autonomous vehicles detect and are 65
designed to respond to the presence of first response vehicles; 66
“(E) How law enforcement agencies can retrieve data , for use in crash 67
investigations, from an autonomous vehicle’s event data recorder, black box, or any other device 68
within the autonomous vehicle that collects and stores data; and 69
“(F) Any additional information the Department considers necessary to 70
assess and mitigate the public safety risks associated with the operation of autonomous vehicles. 71
“(2C-iii) “Good standing” means the commercial AV testing permit applicant: 72
“(A) Holds a valid AV testing permit against which there are no pending 73
enforcement actions; and 74
“(B) Has met all reporting obligations required by Chapter 23A. 75
“(2C-iv) “In-vehicle driver” means a natural person in the autonomous vehicle who 76
is responsible for all or part of the dynamic driving task. 77
“(2D-i) “On-demand autonomous vehicle network” means a transportation service 78
network that uses an internet browser-based or mobile application through which a permittee can 79
dispatch autonomous vehicles to transport passengers or goods for compensation pursuant to a 80
commercial AV permit. 81

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“(2F-i) “Permittee” means a person who holds a valid commercial AV permit 82
issued by the Department. 83
“(2F-ii) “Person” means a natural person, corporation, estate, trust, partnership, 84
limited liability company, association, joint venture, governmental agency, public corporation, or 85
any other legal or commercial entity. 86
“(2F-iii) “Privately owned ADS vehicle” means a motor vehicle equipped with a 87
covered autonomous driving system or a covered semi-autonomous driving system that is operated 88
by a natural person who owns or leases the vehicle for personal, family, or household use, and is 89
not operated pursuant to a commercial AV permit under this act. 90
“(5) “Unreasonable risk to public safety” means a risk of physical injury or death 91
to any roadway user that is greater than the risks presented by a human driver of average 92
competence.”. 93
(b) Section 3 (D.C. Official Code § 50-2352) is revived and amended to read as follows: 94
“Sec. 3. Autonomous vehicles permitted. 95
“(a) No autonomous driving system shall be engaged on public roadways in the District 96
except as described in subsection (b). 97
“(b)(1) A permittee or the permittee’s agents may engage a covered autonomous driving 98
system in any autonomous vehicle for which the permittee has a commercial AV permit issued as 99
described in section 3a. 100
“(2) A test operator or remote operator may engage a covered autonomous driving 101
system or covered semi -autonomous driving system if the AV testing entity employing the 102
operator has received an AV testing permit or is testing without a permit as described in section 103
3a(d) of this act. 104

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“(3) A person may engage a Level 1 or Level 2 autonomous driving system. 105
“(c) In any grand jury, criminal, delinquency, or civil proceeding where a trier of fact must 106
determine the driver at the time of an incident, the trier of fact shall determine whether the in-107
person driver or the autonomous driving system was in control of the dynamic driving task at the 108
time of the incident based on the totality of the circumstances.”. 109
(c) New sections 3a-1 and 3a-2 are added to read as follows: 110
“Section 3a-1. Commercial Autonomous Vehicles Program. 111
“(a)(1) There is established a Commercial Autonomous Vehicle Program within the 112
Department that shall issue and monitor compliance with commercial AV permits. 113
“(2) The Department shall create an application through which a person may apply 114
for a commercial AV permit. 115
“(b) The application for a commercial AV permit shall, at a minimum, require that the 116
following information be submitted to the Department: 117
“(1) The name, address, and principal point-of-contact of the applicant; 118
“(2) For each autonomous vehicle to be operated in the District under the permit: 119
“(A) The Vehicle Information Number (“VIN”); 120
“(B) The vehicle’s make, model, and year; 121
“(C) The vehicle’s tag number and state of issuance; 122
“(D) Proof of current vehicle registration; and 123
“(E) Technical documentation establishing that the vehicle is: 124
“(i) Equipped with a covered autonomous driving system; and 125

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“(ii) Is capable of achieving a minimal risk condition if a failure of 126
the covered autonomous driving system renders it unable to perform the dynamic driving task 127
relevant to its intended operational design domain; 128
“(3) A statement signed by the applicant certifying that: 129
“(A) The applicant: 130
“(i) For an initial permit has participated in the Autonomous Vehicle 131
Testing Program established by section 3a of this act for at least 180 days before submission of its 132
application for a commercial AV permit, during which the applicant recorded at least 250,000 133
miles of AV testing within the District; or 134
“(ii) For a subsequent permit has received a commercial AV permit 135
and operated in the District under that permit for at least 2 years; 136
“(B) Each autonomous vehicle to be operated under the commercial AV 137
permit shall operate in compliance with the laws and regulations of the District and of the United 138
States, except with respect to: 139
“(i) Laws and regulations that relate to equipment, licensure, or 140
processes that contemplate an in-person driver and are not relevant to the safe operation, transport, 141
or storage of a vehicle equipped with a covered autonomous driving system; or 142
“(ii) Conditions for which the applicant is requesting or has received 143
an exemption from the department. 144
“(4) Proof that each autonomous vehicle is covered by motor vehicle liability 145
coverage or self-insurance in an amount not less than $5,000,000; 146
“(5) A first responder interaction plan that addresses the unique challenges of 147
operating in the District, including official motorcades and public demonstrations; and 148

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“(6) A description of the strategies or technologies used to ensure that the 149
autonomous vehicles are lawfully parked; 150
“(7) A continuity of operations plan that explains the redundancy and resiliency 151
measures the applicant has implemented to maintain operations during emergency circumstances, 152
such as power outages, cellular or wireless data network outages, or extreme weather events, and 153
to mitigate the resulting impacts to traffic safety and roadway congestion; 154
“(8) A nonrefundable application fee of: 155
“(A) $1,000,000 for an initial permit; and 156
“(B) $500,000 for any subsequent permits. 157
“(c)(1) Upon receipt of a complete application, the Department shall review the application 158
and inform the applicant of the Department’s determination within 90 calendar days. 159
“(2)(A) If the Department determines that the application is incomplete, the 160
Department shall notify the applicant of the issue and grant the applicant 30 calendar days to 161
resubmit its application. 162
“(B) The Department shall not require an applicant to pay the application 163
fee for any application resubmitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph. 164
“(3) The Department shall deny the application only if: 165
“(A) The applicant is not in good standing at the time of the application with 166
the Autonomous Vehicle Testing Program; 167
“(B) The applicant fails to provide the information required by subsection 168
(b) after an opportunity to resubmit its application as described in paragraph (2) of this subsection; 169
or 170

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“(C) The Department determines that the applicant’s operation of 171
autonomous vehicles would pose an unreasonable risk to public safety, based on the applicant’s 172
performance under the Autonomous Vehicle Testing Program, a previously issued commercial AV 173
permit, or the applicant’s performance in another jurisdiction. 174
“(4) If the Department fails to act within the 90-day period described in paragraph 175
(1) of this subsection, the Department shall: 176
“(A) Provide a written response to the applicant explaining the reasons for 177
the delay and the anticipated date by which the Department will complete its review; and 178
“(B) Extend the duration of the permit by the amount of time that has passed 179
since the expiration of the 90-day period, if the Department ultimately approves the application. 180
“(5) To avoid a lapse in a commercial AV permit during the renewal process, a 181
permittee seeking to renew a permit shall apply for renewal at least 150 days before the date on 182
which the current permit is set to expire; provided, that the permittee’s existing permit shall remain 183
in effect until the Department has made a final determination on the renewal application. 184
“(d)(1) Upon approval of an initial permit, the permittee shall submit a non -refundable 185
permit fee of $5,000,000 to the Department. 186
“(2) Renewal permits shall be subject to a non-refundable permit fee of $1,000,000 187
payable to the Department. 188
“(e) A permit issued under this section shall be valid for three years after the date of 189
issuance, unless the permit is: 190
“(1) Suspended, revoked, or canceled by the Department; or 191
“(2) The duration of the permit is extended as described in subsection (c)(4)(B). 192

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“(f) If there is a material change in the information provided to the Department pursuant to 193
subsection (c) of this section, a permittee shall inform the Department of the material change no 194
later than 14 calendar days after its discovery. 195
“(g)(1) The permittee, or if there is not a permittee the ADS manufacturer, is considered to 196
be the licensed driver or operator of the autonomous vehicle engaged in autonomous operation for 197
the purpose of assessing compliance with applicable traffic or motor vehicle laws and liability, and 198
shall be deemed to be responsible for all physical acts required by a driver or operator of the 199
vehicle. 200
“(2)(A) The permittee, or if there is not a permittee the ADS manufacturer, is 201
deemed to be the licensed operator of the autonomous vehicle engaged in autonomous operation 202
for the purposes of issuing and adjudicating notices of infraction or other tickets related to the 203
violation of District law or regulations. 204
“(B) A permittee is responsible for resolving any notices of infraction or 205
other tickets issued against vehicles in its commercial AV fleet or any covered autonomous driving 206
system equipped to vehicles within its fleet, including the payment of any applicable fine or 207
penalty. 208
“(h) No permittee shall require a customer to agree to arbitration regarding real or potential 209
liability as a condition for service involving the transportation of passengers or goods. 210
“(i) A motor vehicle, which is designed to be operated exclusively by a covered 211
autonomous driving system for all trips, shall not be subject to motor vehicle equipment laws or 212
equipment regulations of the District that relate to or support motor vehicle operation by an in-213
person driver and are not relevant to the safe operation or storage of a vehicle equipped with a 214
covered autonomous driving system. 215

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“(j) A permittee shall make available to the Department a digitized log of significant 216
infrastructure defects identified within the District by its commercial fleet vehicles’ sensors, such 217
as: 218
“(1) The precise GPS coordinates and timestamps of identified potholes, sinkholes, 219
or significant pavement degradation; and 220
“(2) Impairment to the visibility, legibility, or operational integrity of official traffic 221
control devices, such as damage or defacement, obstructions, or operational issues. 222
“(k) Except as provided in this section, the issuance of a commercial AV permit shall not 223
be interpreted to abrogate or amend any statutory or regulatory provisions or any aspects of law 224
pertaining to liability for any harm or injury caused. 225
“(l) The Department may issue rules to implement this act. 226
“(B) The Department shall not be required to hold a public hearing on, or 227
make available for public comment, a proposed decision on a permit application.”. 228
“Sec 3a -2. Deployment of commercial autonomous vehicles ; on-demand autonomous 229
vehicle networks. 230
“(a)(1) Within 60 days of the effective date of the Autonomous Vehicle Deployment 231
Authorization Amendment Act of 2026, the Department shall make available a driverless AV 232
testing permit that allows for AV testing without a test operator physically present in the vehicle. 233
“(2) Before the Department has approved a permit tee’s on-demand autonomous 234
vehicle network comprehensive plan, a permittee may operate up to 200 autonomous vehicles 235
within the District. 236

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“(3) After approval of a permi ttee’s on -demand autonomous vehicle network 237
comprehensive plan, a permittee may operate a number of autonomous vehicles to be determined 238
by the Department through rulemaking. 239
“(b)(1) Within 180 days of the effective date of the Autonomous Vehicle Deployment 240
Authorization Amendment Act of 2026, the Department shall make available the commercial AV 241
permit described in section 3a-1. 242
“(c)(1) Beginning January 1, 2028, a permittee may launch on-demand autonomous vehicle 243
network to be operated in the District. 244
“(2) An on-demand autonomous vehicle network shall: 245
“(A) Comply with District laws governing the operation of transportation 246
network companies, taxis, or any other for -hire ground transportation of passengers , except that 247
any provision of law that reasonably applies only to a n in-person driver shall not apply to the 248
operation of vehicles operated exclusively by a covered autonomous driving system for all trips ; 249
and 250
“(B) Provide a user interface, available through a browser-based or mobile 251
device application, that enables individuals with disabilities to request and receive transportation 252
services. 253
“(d) Prior to launching an on-demand autonomous vehicle network within the District , a 254
permittee shall submit a comprehensive plan to the Department describing the strategies and 255
technology it will use to: 256
“(1) Lawfully park and store commercial AV vehicles, which are subject to its 257
permit, in the District when they are not in operation, including: 258

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“(A) Identification of any parking facilities licensed pursuant to section 1 259
of the District of Columbia Motor Vehicle Parking Facility Act of 1942, approved February 16, 260
1942 (56 Stat. 90; D.C. Official Code § 50-2601 et seq.), that will be used for parking and storing 261
autonomous vehicles; and 262
“(B) Acknowledgment of the applicable parking tax, as described in section 263
47-2002(a)(1), to the designated facilities and assurance of compliance with applicable tax 264
obligations; and 265
“(2) Minimize the operation of an autonomous vehicle without a passenger or a 266
destination; and 267
“(3) Fairly rebalance fleet vehicles to reduce disparate availability or wait times 268
across wards. 269
“(e)(1) The Department shall review the submitted plans for compliance with all relevant 270
District laws and regulations, including parking laws, tax requirements, and vehicle operations. 271
“(2) The Department may impose additional requirements or conditions as 272
necessary to ensure safe, efficient, and lawful operation within the District. 273
“(f) Driverless autonomous vehicles shall make every effort not to idle in a travel lane 274
while loading or unloading passengers or goods. 275
“(g) A permittee that operates an on -demand autonomous vehicle network in the District 276
shall, upon request, respond to any request for proposal issued by the District government for 277
autonomous vehicle services. 278
“(h) To facilitate seamless multimodal travel, a permittee operating an on -demand 279
autonomous vehicle network shall: 280

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“(1) Seek to support payment systems and initiatives and ensure that its digital 281
platforms are compatible with widely adopted, industry -recognized standards for secure, 282
interoperable contactless payments, including any successor or emerging standards; and 283
“(2) Collaborate with the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority and 284
other transit agencies in the region to explore the feasibility of a transit incentive program that 285
allows enrolled commercial AV customers to receive credits or discounts for commercial AV rides 286
that connect to public transit; and 287
“(i) A permittee’s failure to comply with the requirements of this section may result in 288
penalties, including the revocation or suspension of a commercial AV permit or the imposition of 289
fines. 290
(d) Section 3c (D.C. Official Code § 50 -2352.03) is amended by adding new subsections 291
to read as follows: 292
“(e) On a quarterly basis, a permittee shall provide to the Department, in a form to be 293
determined by the Department, the following information from each reporting period: 294
“(1) The total number of vehicle miles traveled by its commercial AV fleet, broken 295
down by miles during which vehicles in the commercial AV fleet were: 296
“(A) Actively transporting passengers or goods; 297
“(B) Dispatched and traveling to the pickup location in response to a request 298
for service; or 299
“(B) Traveling for any other purpose, such as the fair redistribution of the 300
commercial AV fleet across the District; 301
“(2) The number of trips provided by its commercial AV fleet; 302

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“(3) The number of times a vehicle in its commercial AV fleet entered a minimal 303
risk condition; 304
“(4)(A) The number of times a vehicle in its commercial AV fleet was disabled to 305
the point of requiring physical removal by a first responder, permittee, or another entity; and 306
“(B) The amount of time that elapsed between the autonomous vehicle 307
becoming disabled and its removal; 308
“(5) The number of crashes involving a vehicle within its commercial AV fleet that 309
resulted in property damage, bodily injury, or death; and 310
“(6) A description of any changes the permittee has implemented or intends to 311
implement following a crash that occurred during the reporting period, such as upgrades to the 312
autonomous vehicle’s hardware or software systems, or an explanation of why the permittee has 313
not implemented or does not intend to implement changes. 314
“(f) The Department shall publish the reports required by subsection (e) of this section on 315
its website no later than five business days after receipt; provided that the Department shall redact 316
or exclude any proprietary, confidential, or security -sensitive information in accordance with 317
applicable law. 318
“(g)(1) A permittee shall notify the Department of a crash involving a vehicle within its 319
commercial AV fleet that results in property damage, bodily injury, or death within 8 hours after 320
the crash. 321
“(2) The notification provided pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall 322
include, to the extent known: 323
“(A) The name of the permittee; 324
“(B) The date, time, and location of the crash; 325

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“(C) The severity of the crash, including any injuries to passengers or other 326
roadway users; and 327
“(D) The name, title, and contact information of the permittee’s 328
representative reporting the crash. 329
“(3) Within 5 business days of the crash, the permittee shall submit a crash report 330
to the Department that contains the following information: 331
“(A) The date, time, location, type of roadway, weather conditions, and a 332
brief description of the event; 333
“(B) A summary of the movement of the vehicle preceding the crash, such 334
as whether the vehicle was parked, stopped, accelerating, reversing, making a turn, and its speed 335
of travel; 336
“(C) The name, title, and contact information for permittee’s representative 337
submitting the crash report. 338
“(h)(1) The Department may require the permittee to submit additional information 339
necessary to investigate a crash. 340
“(2) Upon receipt of a reasonable request for information related to a crash from 341
the Department, the permittee, shall provide that information to the Department. 342
“(i) A permittee shall provide copies of any collision or incident reports submitted to the 343
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) pursuant to federal standing general 344
orders or other written guidance to the Department within one business day after its submission to 345
NHTSA. 346
(e) Section 3f (D.C. Official Code § 50-2352.06) is amended by adding new subsections to 347
read as follows: 348

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“(c) If the Department determines that a permittee’s operations create an unreasonable risk 349
to public safety, the Department shall issue to the permittee a written notice of infraction that: 350
“(1) States that the Department seeks to revoke, suspend, or impose restrictions on 351
the permittee’s commercial AV permit, including which specific enforcement actions the 352
Department will take if the notice of infraction is upheld; 353
“(2) Explains the Department’s reasoning for its initial determination, including 354
any supporting documentation or evidence; and 355
“(3) Provides the permittee with a reasonable period to: 356
“(A) Dispute the underlying facts or initial determination of the notice of 357
intent; or 358
“(B) Correct the issues identified in the Department’s notice. 359
“(d)(1) Before the expiration of the period specified in a notice of intent, a permittee shall 360
provide a written response to the notice of intent that: 361
“(A) Disputes the underlying facts or initial determination of the notice of 362
intent; or 363
“(B) Explains how the issues identified in the notice of intent have been 364
corrected, such as identifying new strategies or technologies that the permittee has implemented. 365
“(2) The Department shall review a permittee’s response to a notice of intent upon 366
its receipt. 367
“(e)(1) If permittee’s response disputes underlying facts or initial determination, and the 368
Department: 369
“(A) Is persuaded that the permittee’s operations do not create an 370
unreasonable risk to public safety, the notice of intent shall be dismissed; or 371

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“(B) Upholds its determination that the permittee’s operations create an 372
unreasonable risk to public safety, the Department shall notify the permittee of its determination 373
and give the permittee a reasonable time to correct the issues identified in the notice of intent. 374
“(2) If permittee’s attempts to correct the issues identified in the notice, and the 375
Department: 376
“(A) Is persuaded that the permittee’s operations do not create an 377
unreasonable risk to public safety, the notice of intent shall be dismissed; or 378
“(B) Upholds its determination that the permittee’s operations create an 379
unreasonable risk to public safety, the Department may take any enforcement action specified in 380
the original notice of intent. 381
“(3) If the permittee fails to respond to the notice of intent, the Department may 382
take any enforcement action specified in the original notice of intent. 383
“(f)(1) If the Department takes an enforcement action against a permittee as described in 384
subsection (e) of this section: 385
“(A) The permittee may appeal the action to the Office of Administrative 386
Hearings as described in section 3g of this act; or 387
“(B) Submit proof to the Department that the issues identified in the notice 388
have been corrected. 389
“(2) If the Department determines, based on the proof submitted as described in 390
subsection (f)(1)(B), that the permittee’s operations no longer create an unreasonable risk to public 391
safety, the Department may rescind any enforcement action taken, provided that the Department 392
shall not remit to a permittee any fines or fees lawfully imposed under this act. 393

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(f) Section 3g (D.C. Official Code § 50 -2352.07) is amended by adding new subsections 394
(c) and (d) to read as follows: 395
“(c)(1) The Office of Administrative Hearings (“OAH”) shall hold a hearing requested 396
under this subsection no later than 90 days after the date of the Department’s final determination 397
under section 3f of this act. 398
“(2) If a hearing is not held during the period required by paragraph (1) of this 399
subsection, any enforcement action against the permittee shall be reversed. 400
“(d) OAH shall dismiss the Department’s notice of intent if it finds, by clear and convincing 401
evidence, that the permittee’s commercial AV operations do not create an unreasonable risk to 402
public safety. 403
(g) New sections 3h and 3i are added to read as follows: 404
“Sec. 3h. Vehicle miles traveled tax; rate. 405
“(a) The District shall levy and collect a tax on the aggregate number of vehicle miles 406
traveled by autonomous vehicles operated pursuant to a commercial AV permit issued by the 407
District Department of Transportation. 408
“(b) The rate of tax shall be $0.15 for each vehicle miles traveled. 409
“Sec. 3i. Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Fund establishment. 410
“(a) There is established as a special fund the Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Fund 411
(“Fund”), which shall be administered by the District Department of Transportation (“DDOT”) in 412
accordance with this section. 413
“(b) All special purpose funds collected from the following sources shall be deposited into 414
the Fund: 415
“(1) The application fee described at section 3(c)(6) of this act; 416

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“(2) The permit fee described at section 3(e) of this act; 417
“(3) The vehicle miles tax described at section 3h; and 418
“(4) Any other fines or fees assessed under this act. 419
“(c)(1) After funding the ongoing implementation costs of the Autonomous Vehicle 420
Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026 , money in the Fund shall be used for the 421
following purposes: 422
“(A) 50% of the remaining deposits shall be used to support public transit 423
infrastructure and service; and 424
“(B) 50% of the remaining deposits shall be used to support education, 425
vocational training, and workforce development programming aimed at ride -share drivers who 426
have been or are at -risk of job displacement due to the adoption of commercial autonomous 427
vehicles. 428
“(2) No later than 180 days after the effective date of the Autonomous Vehicle 429
Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026, the Department shall publish a report that: 430
“(A) Analyzes the impact of the deployment of autonomous vehicles on the 431
taxi and ride-share industries, including any lost jobs or displaced workers; 432
“(B) Proposes a spending plan for the deposits described in subsection 433
(c)(1)(B) developed in consultation with the Department of Employment Services and the 434
Department of For-Hire Vehicles. 435
“(d) Subject to authorization in an approved budget and financial plan, any funds 436
appropriated in the Fund shall be continually available without regard to fiscal year limitation. 437

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“(e) The money deposited into the Fund but not expended in a fiscal year shall not revert 438
to the unassigned fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia at the end of a 439
fiscal year, or at any other time.”. 440
Sec. 3j. Private Autonomous Driving System Registration and Liability. 441
“(a)(1) No ADS manufacturer shall sell, offer for sale, lease, operate, or otherwise make 442
available for use on public roadways in the District an autonomous driving system or a motor 443
vehicle equipped with an autonomous driving system unless the ADS manufacturer has registered 444
with the Department as described in this subsection. 445
“(2) An application for ADS manufacturer registration shall include, at a minimum: 446
“(A) The name, principal place of business, and a designated agent for 447
service of process within the District of the ADS manufacturer; 448
“(B) A description of each autonomous driving system offered for use in 449
the District, including the vehicle makes, models, and model years in which the feature is installed 450
or available, the SAE automation level of each such feature; 451
“(C) Proof of insurance or self -insurance as required by subsection (c) of 452
this section; 453
“(D) A first responder interaction plan; and 454
“(E) A non-refundable annual registration fee of $10,000. 455
“(3) An ADS manufacturer shall notify the Department of any material change to 456
its autonomous driving system’s software, capabilities, or operational design domain no later than 457
30 calendar days before deploying such change to vehicles operating in the District. 458
“(c)(1) Each ADS manufacturer registered under this section shall maintain motor vehicle 459
liability coverage or self-insurance in an amount not less than $5,000,000 per occurrence for bodily 460

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injury, death, and property damage arising from the operation of an autonomous driving feature in 461
the District , regardless of liability coverage or insurance maintained by the vehicle owner or 462
operator. 463
“(2) The liability coverage or self -insurance required by paragraph (1) shall be 464
primary over any personal motor vehicle insurance held by the vehicle owner or operator when a 465
crash occurs while an autonomous driving system is engaged. 466
“(3) An ADS manufacturer shall maintain a publicly accessible claims process 467
through which any person harmed in a crash involving an autonomous vehicle with its autonomous 468
driving system engaged may initiate a claim directly against the ADS manufacturer without first 469
initiating a claim against the vehicle owner or operator. 470
“(d)(1) When an autonomous driving system is engaged at the time of a crash or traffic 471
infraction, the ADS manufacturer of that system shall be deemed the operator of the vehicle for 472
purposes of: 473
“(A) Civil liability for violations of applicable traffic laws and regulations, 474
including responding to the issuance of any notices of infraction; and 475
“(B) Tort liability for bodily injury, death, or property damage caused by 476
the conduct of the vehicle while the autonomous driving system is engaged, without the necessity 477
of pleading or proving a product defect under applicable products liability law. 478
“(2)(A) For the purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, a rebuttable 479
presumption shall exist that an autonomous driving system was engaged at the time of a crash if 480
the ADS manufacturer’s vehicle data logs, event data recorder, or other onboard system indicate 481
that the autonomous driving system was active in the 30 seconds preceding the crash. 482

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“(B) The ADS manufacturer shall bear the burden of rebutting this presumption 483
with clear and convincing evidence. 484
“(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to: 485
“(A) Relieve a vehicle owner or operator of liability for actions taken 486
outside the operational parameters of the autonomous driving system, including manual overrides, 487
disabling of safety systems, or operation of the vehicle while the autonomous driving system is 488
disengaged; 489
“(B) Limit or abrogate any right of contribution or indemnification between 490
an ADS manufacturer and a vehicle owner or operator; or 491
“(C) Preclude any claim grounded in negligence, strict products liability, 492
breach of warranty, or any other theory of liability available under District or federal law, including 493
any claim that a defect in the autonomous driving system caused or contributed to harm. 494
“(e)(1) An ADS manufacturer shall notify the Department of any crash involving a 495
privately owned ADS vehicle occurring on public roadways in the District that results in bodily 496
injury, death, or property damage exceeding $5,000, within 72 hours of the ADS manufacturer’s 497
knowledge of the crash. 498
“(2) An ADS manufacturer shall preserve all vehicle data logs, sensor data, 499
software state records, and event data recorder information related to any crash reportable under 500
paragraph (1) for no fewer than 3 years after the date of the incident , and shall make such data 501
available to the Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, or any court of competent 502
jurisdiction upon lawful request. 503
“(3) An ADS manufacturer shall provide copies of any collision or incident reports 504
submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pursuant to federal standing 505

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general orders or other written guidance to the Department within one business day after its 506
submission to NHTSA. 507
“(f)(1) Prior to sale, lease, or delivery of a vehicle equipped with an autonomous driving 508
system for use in the District, an ADS manufacturer shall provide the purchaser or lessee with a 509
written disclosure that clearly and conspicuously states: 510
“(A) The SAE automation level of the autonomous driving system and the 511
nature and extent of driver attention and readiness to assume manual control that the feature 512
requires; 513
“(B) That under District law, when the autonomous driving system is 514
engaged, the ADS manufacturer and not the vehicle operator bears primary liability for violations 515
of the rules of the road and for crashes caused by the conduct of the feature; 516
“(C) The contact information for the ADS manufacturer’s claims process 517
required by subsection (c)(3) of this section; 518
“(D) Limitations on the engagement of autonomous driving systems as 519
described in section 3 of this act. 520
“(g)(1) An ADS manufacturer that operates in the District without registering as required 521
by subsection (b) of this section shall be subject to a civil fine of not less than $1,000 and not more 522
than $10,000 per day for each day of noncompliance. 523
“(2) An ADS manufacturer that fails to maintain the insurance coverage required 524
by subsection (c) of this section shall be subject to immediate suspension of its registration and a 525
civil fine of not less than $10,000 per day for each day of noncompliance. 526
“(3) Civil fines assessed under this subsection shall be deposited into the 527
Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Fund established under section 3i of this act. 528

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“(h) The Department may issue rules to implement this section, including rules establishing 529
procedures for ADS manufacturer registration, standards for determining when an autonomous 530
driving system is engaged for purposes of this section, and any exemptions for low-speed or limited 531
operational domain autonomous driving system s that the Department determines do not present 532
material public safety risks.”. 533
Sec. 4. Fiscal Impact Statement. 534
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact 535
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 536
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 537
Sec. 5. Effective Date. 538
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 539
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review as 540
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 541
1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 542