AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES; SAVE PROJECTS S.B. 996:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 996 (as reported without amendment)
Committee: Economic Development and International Investment
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:
-- Allow a motor vehicle manufacturer to participate in a SAVE project if it met certain self-certification criteria.
-- Prescribe additional requirements, including the designation of a project's geographic boundaries and the maintenance of incident records, for a motor vehicle manufacturer that participated in a SAVE project.
-- Specify that an automated driving system or any remote or expert-controlled assist activity, when engaged, would be considered the driver or operator of the vehicle and would be deemed to satisfy electronically all physical acts required by a driver or operator of the vehicle.
-- Require a motor vehicle manufacturer to insure each vehicle in a participating fleet.
-- Require a motor vehicle manufacturer, for each SAVE project in which it participated, to assume liability for each incident in which an automated driving system was at fault during the time that the automated driving system was in control of a vehicle in the participating fleet.
-- Specify that a manufacturer of automated technology would be immune from civil liability for damages that arose out of any modification made to a motor vehicle or an automated motor vehicle, driving system, or technology by another person without the manufacturer's consent.
(The term "SAVE project" would be defined by Senate Bill 997 as an initiative that authorizes eligible motor vehicle manufacturers to make available to the public on-demand automated vehicle networks. "On-demand automated vehicle network" would mean a digital network or software application used to connect passengers to automated motor vehicles, not including commercial motor vehicles, in participating fleets for transportation between points chosen by passengers, for transportation between locations chosen by the passenger when the automated motor vehicle is operated without any control or monitoring by a human operator.)
Proposed MCL 257.665b Legislative Analyst: Drew Krogulecki
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate, though likely negligible, fiscal impact on the State and no fiscal impact on local government. The Department of State would have to receive notification of self-certification, and of the geographical boundaries for the driving networks. The Department would not be required to approve the certification, or otherwise spend time or resources to monitor or regulate the driving networks. The bill would not require expenditures or redirect revenue.
Date Completed: 9-1-16 Fiscal Analyst: Michael Siracuse
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.