SB 1315: Advanced autonomous driving systems.

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. For these purposes, existing law defines autonomous vehicle.

This bill would prohibit the manufacturer of an automobile in this state from requiring or providing a software update that removes, disables, or materially restricts a drivers ability to manually engage or disengage an advanced autonomous driving system in a vehicle that was available at the time of the vehicles original retail sale or requires a driver to engage an advanced autonomous driving system as a condition of operating a vehicle under a condition in which manual operation was previously available. The bill would define advanced autonomous driving system for these purposes. The bill would authorize the Attorney General, a district attorney, or a city attorney to bring a civil action to enforce those prohibitions and would authorize a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 per violation, as specified. The bill would specify that a violation of those prohibitions is not an unlawful business practice. The bill would also make technical and conforming changes.

Existing law requires the department, upon application for an original drivers license, to require an examination of the applicant. Existing law requires the examination to test, among other things, the applicants knowledge and understanding of the provisions of the Vehicle Code governing the operation of vehicles upon the highways, an actual demonstration of the applicants ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in operating a motor vehicle by driving it under the supervision of an examining officer, and a test of the applicants hearing and eyesight, as specified.

This bill would require the department, at the next regularly scheduled revision of the drivers license examination or demonstration of an applicants ability to drive, to consider adding one or more questions that pertain to levels of advanced autonomous driving systems.