Allow Hands-Free Self-Driving

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to permitting a driver to not have a hand on the steering mech- anism of a vehicle while a driving automation system is engaged

Purpose

To amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to permitting a driver to not have a hand on the steering mechanism of a vehicle while a driv- ing automation system is engaged.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1: No person shall operate a motor vehicle without having at least one hand or, in the case of a physically handicapped person, at least one prosthetic device or aid on the steering mechanism at all times when the motor vehicle is in motion unless a driving automation system, as defined in SAE J3016 as periodically revised, is engaged to perform steering function.

Justification

In a 2016 survey done by AAA, they found that there was a 60% demand for at least one of the following autonomous features: automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, self-parking technology or lane assist. They also found that for drivers who want semi-autonomous vehi- cle technology in their next vehicle, their primary motivation is safety (84%) followed by convenience (64%).

The demand for some autonomous feature in a consumers next vehicle is growing but our laws are not equipped to tackle the new and emerging market. Currently, in states like California and Nevada, self-driving cars are allowed on public roads as long as a human driver is sitting behind the wheel and alert. Companies like Volvo, General Motors, Chrys- ler, Mercedes Benz, and Audi are releasing vehicles that contain auton- omous technology. "Drive Pilot", from Mercedes, allows the driver to hand over direct control of steering and speed while still supervising the overall operation of the car. The vast majority of current automo- biles with some autonomous technology will be at Level 3 Conditional Automation, as defined by SAE J3016. The third of five levels of auto- mation, states the monitoring of the driving environment is done by the system but the fallback performance of the task is the human driver.

There is concern that this technology will cause more safety issues. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that human error accounts for nearly 93% of crashes. By replacing error-prone human drivers, autonomous vehicles could potentially save 30,000 lives each year in the U.S. It can annually prevent 5 million accidents, 2 million injuries, and conserve 7 billion liters of fuel.

Furthermore, a report by the Ruderman Foundation stated that autonomous vehicles would have a great benefit for those with disabilities. For the deaf community, it states that the visual cues and instruction capabili- ties would be helpful. For those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the technology offers a means of operation with minimal complexity and allows caretakers for those with disabilities that abili-

ty to ensure their safety with GPS tracking and remotely accessible video cameras.

Legislative history

2018: Passed the Senate

Fiscal implications

TBD

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law and shall apply to violations committed on and after such date.