HB2575 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 05553 TAE 50569 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2575

Introduced , by Rep. Michael J. Zalewski

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Autonomous Vehicle Act. Defines terms. Provides that a fully autonomous vehicle may drive or operate upon the highways of this State, regardless of whether a human operator is physically present in the vehicle. Provides that when engaged, the automated driving system shall be considered the driver or operator for purposes of assessing conformance to applicable traffic or motor vehicle laws and shall be deemed to satisfy any physical acts required of a driver or operator. Provides that liability for incidents involving a fully autonomous vehicle shall be determined under existing product liability law or common law negligence principles. Preempts home rule powers. Effective immediately.

HOME RULE NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Autonomous Vehicle Act.

Section 5. Definitions. For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:

"Automated driving system" means hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, regardless of whether it is limited to a specific operational design domain.

"Dynamic driving task" means all of the real-time operational and tactical functions, as defined in SAE J3016, required to operate a vehicle in on-road traffic, except for strategic functions, including, but not limited to, trip scheduling and the selection of destinations and waypoints.

"Fully autonomous vehicle" means a vehicle equipped with an automated driving system designed to function without a human operator as a level 4 or level 5 system under SAE J3016.

"Human operator" means a natural person in a vehicle with the capability to perform the entire dynamic driving task.

"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, types of roadways, speed range, environmental conditions, and other domain constraints.

"SAE J3016" means "Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles" published by SAE International in September 2016.

"Secretary" means the Secretary of State.

Section 10. Operation of automated driving system equipped vehicles; requirements. Subject exclusively to the provisions of this Act, a fully autonomous vehicle may operate upon the highways of this State, regardless of whether a human operator is physically present in the fully autonomous vehicle. A fully autonomous vehicle shall be capable of operating in compliance with applicable traffic and motor vehicle laws of this State and shall bear the required manufacturer's certification label indicating that at the time the vehicle was manufactured, it had been certified to be in compliance with all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Section 15. Traffic and motor vehicle laws.

(a) When engaged, the automated driving system shall be considered the driver or operator for purposes of assessing conformance to applicable traffic or motor vehicle laws.

(b) When engaged, an automated driving system shall be deemed to satisfy any physical acts required of a driver or operator including, but not limited to, those required under Section 6-112 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. No motor vehicle laws of this State shall prohibit an automated driving system from being the operator or driver of a motor vehicle.

(c) No motor vehicle laws of this State shall require a licensed human driver to operate a fully autonomous vehicle.

(d) Section 6-101 of the Illinois Vehicle Code does not apply to an engaged automated driving system or to a person operating a fully autonomous vehicle with the automated driving system engaged.

(e) Fully autonomous vehicles shall be insured as required under the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(f) Liability for incidents involving a fully autonomous vehicle shall be determined under existing product liability law or common law negligence principles. Nothing in this Act is intended to affect, alter, or amend any right, obligation, liability, or damage apportionment mechanism under existing product liability law, common law negligence, or other applicable law related to liability, or to otherwise contravene or alter rights and duties concerning liability under any existing law, agreement, rule, regulation, or treaty.

(g) An automated driving system shall be deemed to be in compliance with all applicable requirements under Sections 11-401, 11-402, 11-403, 11-404, and 11-407 of the Illinois Vehicle Code if the vehicle owner or person on behalf of the vehicle owner promptly contacts a law enforcement agency to report a crash or if the fully autonomous vehicle has the capability of alerting a law enforcement agency of the crash.

(h) Section 12-603.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code applies only to human occupants of a motor vehicle. The Child Passenger Protection Act applies only to the parent or guardian of the child or, if the child's parent or guardian is not present, the person accompanying the child.

(i) Section 11-1401 of the Illinois Vehicle Code does not apply to an automated driving system or fully autonomous vehicle when the automated driving system is engaged.

(j) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, automated driving systems, fully autonomous vehicles, and any commercial use of a fully autonomous vehicle are governed exclusively by this Act.

Section 20. Home rule. The regulation of fully autonomous vehicles is the exclusive power and function of the State. A home rule unit may not regulate fully autonomous vehicles that otherwise comply with all laws of the home rule unit. This Section is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.