Teamsters Applaud Introduction of CARS Package on Autonomous Vehicles

https://teamster.org/2024/01/teamsters-applaud-introduction-of-cars-package-on-autonomous-vehicles/

2024.01.16

Bills on Human Operator Requirements, AV Controls Critical to Safety and Good Jobs

Press Contact: Matt McQuaid Phone: (202) 624-6877 Email: mmcquaid@teamster.org

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – The Teamsters applauded the introduction of two bills in California that are part of the California Automotive Regulatory Standards (CARS) Package, a series of legislative measures that state lawmakers are prioritizing to regulate autonomous vehicles (AVs).

An assembly bill to be introduced at a later date will require a trained human operator behind the wheel of any AV weighing 10,000 or more lbs., and Senate Bill 915 (SB 915) would require AV companies obtain an approval through a local ordinance prior to starting operations in a given municipality. The assembly bill is substantively identical to AB 316, which was introduced by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) last session, and the local control bill was introduced by Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose).

Both bills already have broad support. AB 316 received yes votes from more than 90 percent of the legislature last session, and SB 915 is co-sponsored by the League of California Cities.

To date, AV regulation in California has been left exclusively to regulatory agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), while municipalities continue to lack any control over AVs wreaking havoc on local streets. As a result, California remains without proper enforcement of AV safety measures or accountability.

FULL story at link above.