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 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.
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 operator until a later enacted statute authorizes the issuance of a permit for that purpose.