S.20.3-10: Autonomous Technology Regulation Act (Law'd)

[tmthforu94]

Autonomous Technology Regulation Act
 
Section 1. Title & Authorization
a. The title of this act shall be the Autonomous Technology Regulation Act
b. The bill authorizes a driverless vehicle to operate on the public highways without a conventional human driver physically present in the vehicle if the vehicle meets certain conditions.
c. While in driverless operation, the vehicle must be capable of operating in compliance with the applicable traffic and motor vehicle safety laws.
d. The vehicle must be certified by the manufacturer to be in compliance with motor vehicle safety standards.

Section 2. Liability

a. Before an autonomous vehicle is allowed to operate on the public highways, that the owner submit proof of financial liability coverage for the vehicle.
b. In the event of an accident, the vehicle must remain on scene. If it fails to do so, the vehicle's owner shall be held liable.
c. In the event of a malfunction in the design or internal modification that contributes toward the causation of an accident, the vehicle manufacturers will be able to use regulatory compliance as an absolute defense in civil court

Sponsor: Spark498

Minimum 48 hours for debate. The sponsor is invited to advocate for the bill.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Reintroducing this bill to help expand the use of autonomous vehicle technology and adequately regulate their use for liability issues.

[tmthforu94]

Here is the debate on this from last session: https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=379557.0

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

I would like to provide some sort of protection to liability so people don't sue companies for hundreds of millions of dollars in the case of an accident. While any of the accidents at the hand of an autonomous vehicle are tragic, I am afraid of the potential of fear mongering by the masses and media that will stifle innovation of autonomous vehicles as a result of multi-million court cases.

Obviously, companies should be held liable if a malfunction in their vehicle leads to an accident. However, I would like to make sure that there is some sort of limit so overzealous juries don't punitively punish companies that push autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles, once perfected, should be safer than human drivers, and I would like to see as much progress as possible in this field.

What do y'all think about this?

[reagente]

I would like to provide some sort of protection to liability so people don't sue companies for hundreds of millions of dollars in the case of an accident. While any of the accidents at the hand of an autonomous vehicle are tragic, I am afraid of the potential of fear mongering by the masses and media that will stifle innovation of autonomous vehicles as a result of multi-million court cases.

Obviously, companies should be held liable if a malfunction in their vehicle leads to an accident. However, I would like to make sure that there is some sort of limit so overzealous juries don't punitively punish companies that push autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles, once perfected, should be safer than human drivers, and I would like to see as much progress as possible in this field.

What do y'all think about this?

This makes a lot of sense. One possible avenue is that we could make regulatory compliance an absolute defense from this sort of suit.

That way you could still sue companies that didn't meet regulatory requirements that Southern agencies could set to ensure that the self-driving vehicles are safer than human drivers.

[tmthforu94]

Checking to see if anyone has an amendment to offer here?

[reagente]

Checking to see if anyone has an amendment to offer here?

To get the ball rolling:

Section 1. Title & Authorization
a. The title of this act shall be the Autonomous Technology Regulation Act
b. The bill authorizes a driverless vehicle to operate on the public highways without a conventional human driver physically present in the vehicle if the vehicle meets certain conditions.
c. While in driverless operation, the vehicle must be capable of operating in compliance with the applicable traffic and motor vehicle safety laws.
d. The vehicle must be certified by the manufacturer to be in compliance with motor vehicle safety standards.

Section 2. Liability

a. Before an autonomous vehicle is allowed to operate on the public highways, that the owner submit proof of financial liability coverage for the vehicle.
b. In the event of an accident, the vehicle must remain on scene. If it fails to do so, the vehicle's owner shall be held liable.
c. In the event of a malfunction in the design or internal modification that contributes toward the causation of an accident, the vehicle manufacturers will be able to use regulatory compliance as an absolute defense in civil court

[tmthforu94]

24 hours for objections to reagente's amendment.

[tmthforu94]

Reagente's amendment has been adopted, debate resumes.

[tmthforu94]

I'm calling for a final vote on this. 24 hours for objections/additional amendments.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Final vote. 48 hours.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Aye

[Senator-elect Spark]

Aye

[tmthforu94]

Aye

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

Aye

[tmthforu94]

This has enough votes to pass, delegates have 24 hours to change their votes.

[thumb21]

Nay

[reagente]

Aye

[tmthforu94]

With 5 AYES and 1 NAY, the bill has passed.