Bill Text: NH SB216 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Establishing an autonomous vehicle advisory commission, establishing an autonomous vehicle testing pilot program, and providing requirements for automated vehicle deployment.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)

Status: (Passed) 2019-08-05 - III. Remainder Effective 08/02/2019 [SB216 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2019-SB216-Introduced.html

SB 216-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0861

11/03

 

SENATE BILL 216-FN

 

AN ACT establishing an automated vehicle testing and deployment commission and an automated vehicle testing pilot program, and providing requirements for automated vehicle deployment.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Cavanaugh, Dist 16; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Rep. Conley, Straf. 13; Rep. Somssich, Rock. 27

 

COMMITTEE: Transportation

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes an automated vehicle testing and development commission and an automated vehicle testing pilot program.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0861

11/03

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT establishing an automated vehicle testing and deployment commission and an automated vehicle testing pilot program, and providing requirements for automated vehicle deployment.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Subdivision; Automated Vehicle Testing and Deployment Commission; Pilot Program.  Amend RSA 265 by inserting after section 161 the following new subdivision:

Automated Vehicle Testing and Deployment

265:162  Commission Established.  There is established an automated vehicle testing and deployment commission.

265:163  Membership and Compensation.

I.  The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a)  The director of the office of strategic initiatives, or designee.

(b)  The commissioner of the department of transportation, or designee.

(c)  The commissioner of the department of safety, or designee.

(d)  The commissioner of the insurance department, or designee.

(e)  The director of the division of economic development, or designee.

(f)  The director of the division of state police, or designee.

(g)  The director of the division of motor vehicles, or designee.

(h)  One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(i)  Two members of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

II.  Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

265:164  Duties of the Commission.  To prepare the state for automated vehicle technologies on public roadways, the commission shall:

I.  Follow developments in the testing and deployment of automated vehicle technologies, including both federal and state laws, regulations, and guidance on the subject.

II.  Identify all agencies with jurisdiction to support the testing and deployment of automated vehicles.

III.  Consider avenues to encourage the development of automated and connected vehicles technologies and their component hardware and software in New Hampshire, and consult with both universities and business entities in the sector to support innovation and development in automated vehicle technologies.

IV.  Examine ways for state agencies and for automated vehicle manufacturers to inform residents on automated vehicle technologies, including the potential for increased safety, enhanced mobility, more efficient land use, expanded roadway capacity, reduced environmental impact, and any potential risks.

V.  Review existing state statutes and administrative rules and identify existing statutes or rules that may impede the testing and deployment of automated vehicles, including but not limited to existing laws pertaining to vehicle registration and titling, vehicle insurance requirements, drivers' licenses, and general rules of the road.

VI.  Solicit input from representatives of:

(a)  New Hampshire colleges and universities.

(b)  Disability communities.

(c)  Elder communities.

(d)  Public transportation providers.

(e)  Automated and connected vehicle manufacturers.

(f)  Automated and connected vehicle technology suppliers.

(g)  Automobile dealers.

(h)  The trucking industry.

(i)  Urban planning professionals.

(j)  Any other relevant actors with expertise or interest in automated and connected vehicle technologies.

265:165  Chairperson; Quorum.  The commission shall be chaired by the director of the office of strategic initiatives, or his or her designee.  The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the chair and shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.  Six members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

265:166  Commission Report.  The commission shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2020.  The commission shall provide subsequent reports by November 1 annually thereafter.  Such reports shall include a summary of commission activities during the reporting period, and may include recommendations for legislative and regulatory consideration.

265:167  Automated Vehicle Testing Pilot Program and Deployment Requirements.

I.  The department of safety, division of motor vehicles, shall establish a pilot program to test automated vehicle technologies on public roads within the state.  The pilot program shall commence 90 days following the effective date of this section.

II.  The following words and phrases, when used in this subdivision, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a)  "Automated driving system" means the hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing all aspects of the dynamic driving task within its operational design domain, if any, including achieving a minimal risk condition, without any intervention or supervision by a conventional human driver.

(b)  "ADS-equipped vehicle" means a vehicle equipped with an automated driving system.

(c)  "Conventional human driver" means a natural person who manually engages in-vehicle braking, accelerating, steering, and transmission gear selection input devices in order to operate a vehicle.

(d)  "Driverless capable vehicle" means a vehicle equipped with an automated driving system.

(e)  "Driverless operation" means a mode of ADS-equipped vehicle operation in which either no on-board user is present, or in which on-board users who are present are not conventional human drivers.

(f)  "Dynamic driving task" means all of the real-time operational and tactical functions required to operate a vehicle in on-road traffic within its specific operational design domain, if any, excluding the strategic functions such as trip scheduling and selection of destinations and waypoints.

(g)  "Minimal risk condition" means a reasonably safe state to which an automated driving system brings an ADS-equipped vehicle upon experiencing a performance-relevant failure of the vehicle's automated driving system that renders the automated driving system unable to perform the entire dynamic driving task, such as bringing the vehicle to a complete stop and activating the hazard lamps.

(h)  "On-demand driverless capable vehicle network" means a transportation service network that uses a software application or other digital means to dispatch driverless capable vehicles for purposes of transporting persons or goods, including for-hire transportation, transportation for compensation, and public transportation.

(i)  "Operational design domain" means a description of the specific operating domain in which an automated driving system is designed to properly operate, including but not limited to roadway types, speed range, environmental conditions such as weather or time of day, and other domain constraints.

(j)  "Test driver" means an employee, contractor, or other person operating the testing entity's ADS-equipped vehicles that are part of the automated vehicle testing pilot program.

(k)  "Testing entity" means an individual, company, college or university, nonprofit, or other organization involved with the design or testing of automated vehicle technologies.

III.(a)  A testing entity may test ADS-equipped vehicles on public roadways of this state only if the testing entity has been approved for testing by the department after submitting the information required pursuant to this section.

(b)  A testing entity seeking to test ADS-equipped vehicles in this state shall provide notice to the department, upon forms furnished by the department for that purpose, of its intent to participate in the automated vehicle testing pilot program.  Such forms shall be accompanied by the following information:

(1)  The name and business address of the testing entity intending to test ADS-equipped vehicles on state roadways.

(2)  The name, phone number, email address, and physical address in state, if present, of lead staff contact for the testing entity with oversight of the testing project.

(3)  Identification information about the vehicles to be used in testing, including the make, model, and license plate numbers.

(4)  A description of the operating design domain in which the ADS-equipped vehicle has been designed to operate, including limitations on the types of roadways, weather, time of day, or geographic locations, if any.

(5)  The geographic areas within the state in which the entity plans to test ADS-equipped vehicles.

(6)  A copy of the testing entity's Voluntary Safety Self-Assessment as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Automated Vehicles Policy or a detailed summary of the types of safety training given to test drivers, including copies of any documentation or illustration provided.

(7)  Proof of the testing entity's financial ability to satisfy judgment for damages for personal injury or property damage of at least $5 million, which may be in the form of an issued insurance policy, a bond, or other financial instrument.

(8)  Acknowledgment, via official form furnished by the department, that:

(i)  The ADS-equipped vehicle is in compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations, or has an exemption under federal law.

(ii)  The ADS-equipped vehicle is designed to comply with all traffic and motor vehicle safety laws and regulations of this state that govern the performance of the dynamic driving task, unless an exemption has been granted by the department.

(iii)  The automated driving system has been tested in controlled conditions and has demonstrated functionality ready to test on public roads.

(iv)  The ADS equipped vehicle shall only be operated or monitored by trained employees, or other authorized persons that have received instruction on the safe operation of vehicle systems.

(v)  The ADS-equipped vehicle test driver holds a valid driver's license that is recognized by the state as affording the individual the privilege of legally operating a motor vehicle on state roadways.

IV.  Upon receipt of the information detailed in paragraph III, the department shall:

(a)  Review the materials as submitted and, if necessary, request in writing any further information needed to support the application.  A testing entity shall not be required to release information that may be proprietary or confidential business information.

(b)  If the department requests further information, the petitioner shall submit such information or provide a satisfactory explanation of any omission from the materials within 15 business days of the request.  Within 15 business days of receipt of the additional information, the department shall review and respond, either with an additional request for information or with the acknowledgment that all questions have been satisfactorily answered.

(c)  Collect an annual fee of $500 from each testing entity participating in the automated vehicle testing pilot program.

V.  A testing entity in the automated vehicle testing pilot program may operate an ADS-equipped vehicle without a test driver or conventional human driver in the vehicle, provided that:

(a)  A testing entity that wishes to test an ADS-equipped vehicle without a test driver or conventional human driver in the vehicle shall first provide notice the department of its intentions to proceed with such testing.  Such notice shall include:

(1)  An acknowledgment by the testing entity that the ADS-equipped vehicles in the automated vehicle testing pilot program are capable of achieving a minimal risk condition if a malfunction of the automated driving system occurs that renders that system unable to perform the entire dynamic driving task within its intended operational design domain, if any.

(2)  A copy of the testing entity's emergency response guide, including information on how to instruct law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical personnel on safe interaction with the vehicle in emergency and traffic enforcement situations.

(b)  The department shall distribute any emergency response guide received pursuant to V(a)(2) to all law enforcement, fire, and emergency response personnel with jurisdiction over the geographic area in the vicinity of the test entity's stated testing area.

VI.(a)  The department may suspend or refuse a testing entity's ability to participate in the pilot program if it finds that:

(1)  The testing entity's ADS-equipped vehicle had a significant and recurring failure to comply with the rules of the road of this state that presented an undue risk to public safety.

(2)  The testing company submitted a material misstatement on the materials submitted to the department.

(b)  If the department suspends or refuses to renew a testing entity's ability to test, the department shall provide written notice to the testing entity within 48 hours, detailing the grounds that led to the department's actions, as well as specific actions available to the testing entity to cure.

VII.  The department shall provide regular updates on the automated vehicle testing pilot program to the automated vehicle testing and deployment commission established under RSA 265:162.

VIII.(a)  Operation on the public roads of this state of an ADS-equipped vehicle capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task within its operational design domain while a conventional human driver is present is lawful under RSA 263, RSA 264, RSA 265, and RSA 266.

(b)  The automated driving system, while engaged, shall be designed to operate within its operational design domain in compliance with the applicable traffic and motor vehicle safety laws and regulations of this state that specifically govern the performance of the dynamic driving task, unless an exemption has been granted by the department.

IX.  A driverless capable vehicle may operate on the public roads of this state without a conventional human driver, provided that the vehicle meets the following conditions:

(a)  The vehicle is capable of achieving a minimal risk condition if a malfunction of the automated driving system occurs that renders that system unable to perform the entire dynamic driving task within its intended operational design domain, if any;

(b)  While in driverless operation, the vehicle is capable of operating in compliance with the applicable traffic and motor vehicle safety laws and regulations of this state that govern the performance of the dynamic driving task, unless an exemption has been granted by the department; and

(c)  The vehicle is in compliance with all federal laws and regulations or has an exemption under federal law.

X.(a)  A person may operate an on-demand driverless capable vehicle network.  Such a network may provide transportation of persons or goods, including:

(1)  For-hire transportation;

(2)  Public transportation; and

(3)  Transportation for multiple passengers who agree to share the ride in whole or in part.

(b)  An on-demand driverless capable vehicle network may connect passengers to driverless capable vehicles either exclusively or as part of a digital network that also connects passengers to human drivers who provide transportation services, consistent with applicable law, in vehicles that are not driverless capable vehicles.

XI.  RSA 264:25 does not apply to an ADS-equipped vehicle operating without a conventional human driver in the event of a crash involving the vehicle, provided the vehicle owner, or a person on behalf of the vehicle owner, promptly contacts a law enforcement agency to report the crash or provided the vehicle has the capability of alerting a law enforcement agency to the crash.

XII.  Before an ADS-equipped vehicle may operate on public roads in this state, an owner of such a vehicle shall submit proof of financial responsibility satisfactory to the department that the ADS-equipped vehicle is covered by insurance or proof of self-insurance that satisfies the requirements of RSA 264.

XIII.(a)  The automated vehicle testing pilot program, ADS-equipped vehicles, and automated driving systems generally, are governed exclusively by this subdivision.  The department is the sole and exclusive state agency that may implement the provisions of this subdivision.

(b)  No state or local entity may impose any additional requirements specific to the operation of the automated vehicle testing pilot program, ADS-equipped vehicles, on-demand driverless capable vehicle network, or automated driving systems generally.

(c)  No state or local entity may impose a tax, fee, or other requirement on the operation of the automated vehicle testing pilot program, ADS-equipped vehicles, on-demand driverless capable vehicle network, or automated driving systems generally, where such tax, fee, or other requirement relates specifically to the operation of ADS-equipped vehicles.

XIV.  Subject to paragraph VIII, no motor vehicle laws of this State shall be construed so as to require a conventional human driver to operate an ADS-equipped vehicle, and the automated driving system of such vehicle shall, when engaged, be deemed to fulfill any physical acts required of a conventional human driver to perform the dynamic driving task.

2  Repeal.  The following are repealed:

I.  RSA 265:162 through 265:166, relative to the automated vehicle testing and deployment commission.

II.  RSA 265:167, VII, relative to providing updates to the automated vehicle testing and deployment commission.

3  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 2 of this act shall take effect December 25, 2025.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.

 

LBAO

19-0861

1/10/19

 

SB 216-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT establishing an automated vehicle testing and deployment commission and an automated vehicle testing pilot program, and providing requirements for automated vehicle deployment.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

   Expenditures

$50,000

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

  [    ] General            [    ] Education            [ X ] Highway           [ X ] Other - *Restricted Cost of Collections

*Pursuant to Part II, article 6-a of the New Hampshire constitution, any costs associated with the collection and administration of Highway Funds by the Department of Safety shall be deducted by the Department before such funds are credited to the Highway Fund as unrestricted revenue.

 

LOCAL:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

   Expenditures

$0

$0

$0

$0

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill establishes an automated vehicle testing and development commission and an automated vehicle testing pilot program.  Under this bill, the newly established commission is tasked with researching the implementation of automated vehicles in New Hampshire and to report on their activities.  This bill requires the automated vehicle testing pilot program to be implemented by the Division of Motor Vehicles within the Department of Safety.  Entities looking to test automated driving vehicles in the pilot program are required in this bill to submit an application, pay an annual fee of $500, and receive approval by the Department.  The Department is unable to determine how many testing entities will participate in the pilot program and pay the $500 annual fee, but the Department estimates the number will be minimal.  Any increase in revenue to the highway fund due to the $500 annual fee would also increase local highway aid, which is at least 12 percent of total highway revenue from the previous year pursuant to RSA 235:23.

 

In FY 2020, the Department estimates a cost of $50,000 to reprogram the VISION system to incorporate the new license type established in this bill.  Additionally, each year thereafter will result in an increase to state expenditures by an indeterminable amount to pay local highway aid due to the increase in highway revenue.  However, this amount will depend on the size of the pilot program.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety

 

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