Transportation (Autonomous Vehicles)

The Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026 creates a new program within the District Department of Transportation to regulate and monitor commercial autonomous vehicles in Washington, D.C. It establishes a phased rollout that begins with driverless testing permits and allows commercial ride-sharing services to launch with a fleet limit of 200 vehicles, expanding only after operators submit plans to manage parking and traffic. The legislation sets specific rules for when different levels of autonomous driving features can be used, requires manufacturers to register high-level automated vehicles, and imposes a tax of $0.15 per mile on commercial autonomous vehicle operations. Revenue from this tax is split to fund improvements to public transit infrastructure and workforce training programs for existing taxi and rideshare drivers. Additionally, the bill clarifies liability rules to determine responsibility in accidents and mandates safety plans for emergency interactions and system failures.

This bill requires all companies testing autonomous vehicles (AVs) on District of Columbia roads to obtain a specific AV testing permit before conducting driverless testing. It also mandates that entities testing AVs without a permit must have a trained test operator physically present in the vehicle, comply with all local/federal laws, and provide the District Department of Transportation with 10 days' advance notice - including vehicle details, locations, and testing dates. The law amends the 2012 Autonomous Vehicle Act to enforce these requirements, repealing previous sections that allowed permit-free testing under certain conditions. This emergency measure applies immediately and remains in effect for 90 days.

This resolution prevents a regulatory gap in autonomous vehicle (AV) testing rules by maintaining temporary requirements until permanent legislation takes effect. It requires AV testing companies to obtain a permit for driverless testing on District roadways and notify the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) before permits are available. The resolution ensures continuous safety oversight by DDOT during the transition period between expiring emergency rules (March 24, 2025) and the effective date of permanent AV testing rules (March 27, 2025). It directly affects AV companies conducting testing in Washington, D.C.

This bill amends the District's Autonomous Vehicle Act to establish safety requirements for fully autonomous vehicles operating without human drivers. It directly affects companies and entities seeking to operate fully autonomous vehicles (SAE levels 4-5) commercially on District roadways. The key provision requires that if an automated driving system fails, the vehicle must achieve a "minimal risk condition" (such as safely stopping) rather than continuing operation. This applies to all fully autonomous vehicles operating on public roads under the District's regulations.