Establishes fully autonomous vehicle pilot program.*
What changed between versions
Primary authority shifts from the Motor Vehicle Commission to the Department of Transportation, which now leads the pilot program with the commission in a consultative role. The title changes from 'autonomous vehicle' to 'fully autonomous vehicle,' narrowing scope.
New section 6 prohibits fully autonomous vehicles from operating in school zones, construction zones, or areas with high rates of pedestrian collisions as determined by the department.
Provisions authorizing platooning of commercial trucks and specific speed/weight restrictions for AV commercial trucks are removed entirely. The definition of 'platooning' is also deleted.
New provision (2e) allows operation without a human driver only if the manufacturer has completed 50,000 miles of testing in the proposed operational design domain and 50,000 miles on public roadways in New Jersey without a major incident (or was not at fault for any).
New section 7 requires dealers and manufacturers selling vehicles with partial automated driving systems to provide written disclosure of each feature's function, capabilities, and limitations, and prohibits marketing that implies full autonomy. Violations are treated as consumer fraud act violations enforceable by the Attorney General.
Task force expanded from 7 to 9 members, adding a motor vehicle dealer representative and a department representative. Appointment authority shifts from the commission to the department.
When the automated driving system is engaged, it is legally considered the 'human driver' for traffic law compliance purposes and is deemed licensed to operate the vehicle (section 2f).
Entirely new section 3 establishes a formal enforcement process: notice of intent, opportunity to correct issues, commissioner decision, 10-day review request, and hearing before an administrative law judge within 30 days. If no hearing is held in time, the authorization is automatically reinstated.
New section 10 makes the autonomous vehicle tester liable for property damages, traffic law violations (including illegal parking, blocking sidewalks, violating stop signs), and crash injuries or fatalities when operating without a human driver.
New section 12 establishes that the Department of Transportation is the sole and exclusive State agency for implementing the bill, and prohibits any local entity from banning fully autonomous vehicles or imposing additional taxes, fees, or requirements specific to them.
Vehicles that require a commercial driver license under federal or State law are explicitly excluded from the pilot program.
Crash reporting deadline changes from 48 hours to 5 calendar days after receiving notice of the crash, with specific triggering criteria. The department must post crash data on its website and transmit it to NHTSA and NTSB every other month. A civil penalty applies for failure to report.
Crash-avoidance system requirements are modified to specifically require a camera system plus two distinct sensing modalities capable of detecting and tracking obstacles if the camera fails, in addition to pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and lane keep assist.
Rulemaking authority is narrowed from 'rules and regulations to effectuate' to 'rules and regulations strictly necessary to effectuate,' limiting the department's regulatory discretion.
