Bill Text: AZ SB1466 | 2025 | Fifty-seventh Legislature 1st Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: Autonomous vehicles
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-05 - Senate read second time [SB1466 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2025-SB1466-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: autonomous vehicles |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
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SB 1466 |
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Introduced by Senator Bravo
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AN ACT
Amending sections 28-9701, 28-9702, 28-9703 and 28-9704, Arizona Revised Statutes; Repealing section 28-9705, Arizona Revised STATUES; Amending Title 28, Chapter 32, Article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding a new section 28-9705; Amending sections 28-9706, 28-9707 and 28-9708, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to autonomous vehicles.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 28-9701, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
28-9701. Definitions
In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Autonomous vehicle" means a vehicle that is equipped with up to level 3 conditional automation as defined by the united states department of transportation.
2. "Human safety operator" means a natural person who holds a valid license for the OPERATION of the motor vehicle's class and who is physically present in the autonomous vehicle.
1. 3. "On-demand autonomous vehicle network" means a passenger transportation network that uses a digital network or software application to connect passengers to fully autonomous vehicles for transportation, exclusively or in addition to other vehicles, including transportation for hire and transportation for compensation.
2. 4. "Request to intervene" means a notification by an automated driving system to a human driver that the human driver should promptly begin or resume performance of part or all of the dynamic driving task.
Sec. 2. Section 28-9702, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
28-9702. Operation of autonomous vehicles
A. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the operation of autonomous vehicles with or without a human driver is subject to all applicable federal and state laws.
B. A person may operate an autonomous vehicle with the automated driving system engaged on public roads in this state with a licensed human driver who is able to resume part or all of the dynamic driving task or respond to a request to intervene, if any.
C. A fully autonomous vehicle may operate on public roads without a human driver only if a person submits both:
1. A law enforcement interaction plan to the department of transportation and the department of public safety that is consistent with and addresses all of the elements in the law enforcement protocol that was issued by the department of public safety on May 14, 2018, before beginning the operation or if the operation has already begun, within sixty days after September 29, 2021.
2. A written statement to the department of transportation acknowledging all of the following:
(a) When required by federal law, the fully autonomous vehicle is equipped with an automated driving system that is in compliance with all applicable federal laws and federal motor vehicle safety standards and bears the required certification labels including reference to any exemption granted by the national highway traffic safety administration under applicable federal law.
(b) If a failure of the automated driving system occurs that renders that system unable to perform the entire dynamic driving task relevant to its intended operational design domain, the fully autonomous vehicle will achieve a minimal risk condition.
(c) The fully autonomous vehicle is capable of complying with all applicable traffic and motor vehicle safety laws of this state and the person who submits the written statement for the fully autonomous vehicle may be issued a traffic citation or other applicable penalty if the vehicle fails to comply with traffic or motor vehicle laws.
(d) The fully autonomous vehicle meets all applicable certificate of title, registration, licensing and insurance requirements of this title.
D. If a person fails to submit a law enforcement interaction plan or statement prescribed by subsection C of this section, the department may immediately issue a cease and desist letter prohibiting the operation of a fully autonomous vehicle on public roads of this state until the person submits the law enforcement interaction plan and statement.
E. C. When engaged, the automated driving system is considered the driver or operator of the autonomous vehicle for the purpose of assessing compliance with applicable traffic or motor vehicle laws and is both:
1. Deemed to satisfy electronically all physical acts required by a driver or operator of the vehicle.
2. Exempt from the requirements of chapter 8 of this title.
F. Notwithstanding any other law, a licensed human driver is not required to operate a fully autonomous vehicle that is operated in compliance with this chapter.
G. This chapter does not prohibit or restrict a licensed human driver from driving a fully autonomous vehicle equipped with controls that allow for the human driver to control all or part of the dynamic driving task.
Sec. 3. Section 28-9703, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
28-9703. Department of public safety; law enforcement protocols; law enforcement interaction plan
The department of public safety, in coordination with other relevant law enforcement agencies, shall maintain a law enforcement protocol for fully autonomous vehicles. The protocol shall include guidelines for persons who operate fully autonomous vehicles to provide information to law enforcement agencies and other first responders on how to interact with fully autonomous vehicles in emergency and traffic enforcement situations, including how to provide contact information for insurance and citation purposes and any other information needed to ensure the safe operation of fully autonomous vehicles in this state. The department of public safety may issue a revised law enforcement protocol after providing advance notice to and an opportunity for comment from persons that have submitted statements pursuant to section 28-9702, subsection C, paragraph 2.
Sec. 4. Section 28-9704, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
28-9704. Autonomous vehicle networks
An on-demand autonomous vehicle network may operate pursuant to chapter 30, article 3 of this title except that any provision of chapter 30, article 3 of this title that by its nature reasonably applies only to a human driver does not apply to a fully an autonomous vehicle operating with the automated driving system engaged while logged on to an on-demand autonomous vehicle network.
Sec. 5. Repeal
Section 28-9705, Arizona Revised Statutes, is repealed.
Sec. 6. Title 28, chapter 32, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section 28-9705, to read:
28-9705. Autonomous vehicles; transport of passengers prohibited; exceptions; transport of goods; human safety operator
A. an autonomous vehicle may not transport passengers except when the transport is for:
1. personal use.
2. non-revenue use.
B. An AUTONOMOUS vehicle may not be used to transport goods unless A human safety operator is physically present in the autonomous vehicle and can:
1. monitor the autonomous vehicle's performance at all times.
2. intervene if necessary, including operating or shutting off the autonomous vehicle.
Sec. 7. Section 28-9706, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
28-9706. Autonomous vehicles; fees prohibited; enforcement
A. A county, city or town may not impose any tax, fee, for-hire vehicle requirement or other requirement on automated driving systems or autonomous vehicles or on a person who operates an autonomous vehicle, including a person who operates an autonomous vehicle for purposes of providing passenger transportation, freight transportation, goods delivery services or an on-demand autonomous vehicle network.
B. Subsection A of this section does not prohibit either:
1. An airport operator that operates a public airport pursuant to section 28-8421, 28-8423 or 28-8424 or a public body operating a public airport from charging reasonable fees consistent with any fees charged to companies that provide similar services at that airport for their use of the airport's facilities.
2. An airport from designating locations for staging, pickup or other similar operations at the airport.
C. b. The department of transportation and the department of public safety are the only state agencies that may implement or enforce this chapter, except that neither agency may prescribe procedures or rules that are unreasonable or unduly burdensome.
Sec. 8. Section 28-9707, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
28-9707. Traffic or motor vehicle laws; autonomous vehicles
Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, a traffic or motor vehicle law of this state may not prohibit the operation of an autonomous vehicle or require a human driver to operate a fully autonomous vehicle with the automated driving system engaged, if the fully autonomous vehicle is operated in compliance with this chapter.
Sec. 9. Section 28-9708, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
28-9708. Enforcement
A. Except as provided in section 28-9702 and subsection G of this section, this section provides the exclusive means by which the department may:
1. Suspend, revoke or cancel the registration of an autonomous vehicle for reasons related to safety.
2. Otherwise restrict the operation of an autonomous vehicle for reasons related to safety.
B. If the department has information, data or other evidence indicating that an autonomous vehicle is likely not in safe mechanical condition and likely to endanger persons on the highway, the department may issue a request for relevant information to the owner and the person who submitted the statement required by section 28-9702 for the autonomous vehicle.
C. The owner or the person who submitted the statement required by 28-9702 shall respond to a request for information submitted under subsection B of this section within a reasonable time specified by the department. The response may be in the form of documents, a meeting with the department, a demonstration or any other reasonable form or combination of forms.
D. After considering and evaluating all responses provided pursuant to subsections B and C of this section, if the department determines based on data, information or other evidence that an autonomous vehicle is not in safe mechanical condition and endangers persons on the highway, the department may send the vehicle owner and the person who submitted the statement required by section 28-9702 for the autonomous vehicle a notice of intent to suspend the registration or impose restrictions on the operation of the autonomous vehicle. The notice shall include:
1. A description of the department's reasons and evidence supporting the determination.
2. A statement that a certification of correction or adjustment shall be submitted within a specified time and that the certification shall include an explanation of how the issues identified by the department in the notice have been addressed, such as identifying adjustments made to the automated driving system or operational measures implemented.
E. If the owner or person who submitted the statement required by section 28-9702 for the autonomous vehicle that is the subject of a notice of intent to suspend or restrict operation fails to submit the certification required by subsection D of this section within the time specified or the department finds that the certification is not true and accurate, the department shall notify the person and owner that the registration for that autonomous vehicle has been suspended or restricted as specified in the notice. If the person or owner later submits the required certification, the department shall remove the suspension or restriction on receipt of the certification.
F. A person who disputes the department's finding may request a hearing within ten days after the date of the notice of intent to suspend or restrict operation issued under subsection D of this section. A hearing requested under this subsection shall be held not more than sixty days after the submission of a request for a hearing. A decision to uphold the determination of the department is subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.
G. This section does not apply to a vehicle that is subject to chapter 14 of this title and does not affect the applicability or enforcement of chapter 14 of this title or federal laws applicable to commercial motor vehicles as defined in 28-5201.
