BILL NUMBER: S65

SPONSOR: ROBACH
 
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.