NY State Assembly Bill 2019-A8460A

Assembly Bill A8460A

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Authorizes the commissioner of transportation to conduct a comprehensive study on designation of certain roads for the purposes of autonomous vehicle technology testing

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 03, 2020	print number 8460a
Jun 03, 2020	amend (t) and recommit to transportation
Jan 08, 2020	referred to transportation
Jul 08, 2019	referred to transportation

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2019-A8460 - Details

Current Committee:: Assembly Transportation
Law Section:: Transportation, Commissioner of
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: A7744

2019-A8460 - Summary

Authorizes the commissioner of transportation to conduct a comprehensive study on designation of private roads on the University at Buffalo North Campus and public roads in the town of Amherst for the purposes of autonomous vehicle technology testing.

2019-A8460 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8460
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 8, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. McMAHON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT authorizing the  commissioner  of  transportation  to  conduct  a
   comprehensive  study on designation of private roads on the University
   at Buffalo North Campus and public roads in the town  of  Amherst  for
   the purposes of autonomous vehicle technology testing
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative intent. The  legislature  recognizes  that  the
 safety  and  mobility of all citizens is of utmost concern to the state;
 that autonomous vehicle technology possesses the capability of  increas-
 ing  pedestrian  and passenger safety, reduce traffic and congestion and
 improve the movement of goods and services across the  state;  that  the
 majority  of  motor  vehicle accidents are due to human error and auton-
 omous vehicle technology may possess the ability to  eliminate  some  of
 these  motor  vehicle  accidents;  that autonomous vehicle technology is
 unproven and requires greater testing and the State of  New  York  is  a
 testbed  for innovation that balances the safety and needs of its public
 against the need for technological advancement.
   The legislature also recognizes that the University at Buffalo has the
 legal authority to test autonomous vehicle technology on  certain  roads
 that  have  been  determined  to  be private and therefore not under the
 jurisdiction of the New York State  Department  of  Motor  Vehicles  for
 autonomous  vehicle  technology testing approval. In addition to testing
 on these private roads, the University at Buffalo may also  test  auton-
 omous  vehicle  technology  in its parking lots, which are defined sepa-
 rately in the law, and are outside of New York State Department of Motor
 Vehicles jurisdiction.
   In order to increase the routes available on the University at Buffalo
 North Campus for autonomous vehicle technology testing, the  legislature
 recognizes  that the New York State Department of Transportation has the
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD11862-05-9

 A. 8460                             2
 
 knowledge and expertise to review traffic flow on  the  roadways  within
 the University at Buffalo North Campus, and to identify roads that could
 be  deemed  private without impacting existing traffic conditions in and
 around the University at Buffalo North Campus.
   §  2. For the purposes of this act, the term "autonomous vehicle tech-
 nology" shall mean the hardware and software that are collectively capa-
 ble of performing part or all of the dynamic driving task on a sustained
 basis, and the term "dynamic driving task" shall mean all of  the  real-
 time operational and tactical functions required to operate a vehicle in
 on-road traffic, excluding the strategic functions such as trip schedul-
 ing and selection of destinations and waypoints.
   §  3. The department of transportation shall undertake a comprehensive
 study on designation of roads on the University at Buffalo North  Campus
 and  in the town of Amherst for the purposes of autonomous vehicle tech-
 nology testing. The study shall include:
   1. The creation of three testing zones in the town of  Amherst,  about
 which  the  department shall publish regulations relating to testing and
 safety:
   (a) Zone one--Flint Road between Service Center Road  and  John  James
 Audubon  Parkway;  John  James  Audubon  Parkway  between Flint Road and
 Service Center Road on the University at Buffalo Campus;
   (b) Zone two--Flint Road Loop;  Augsberger  Road  between  Putnam  Way
 North,  and  Hadley Road; Putnam Way North between Hadley Road and Augs-
 berger Road; Hadley Road between Augsberger Road and Putnam Way North;
   (c) Zone three--John James Audubon Parkway  Northbound  between  Flint
 Road  and  Lee  Road; John James Audubon Parkway Southbound, between Lee
 Road and Flint Road; Lee Road between John  James  Audubon  Parkway  and
 White  Drive; White Drive between Lee Road and Hamilton Road; and Hamil-
 ton Road from John James Audubon Parkway to Putnam Road North;
   2.   The installation of smart  sensors  or  other  technology  deemed
 necessary  for the implementation of autonomous vehicle technology test-
 ing; and
   3. Compliance with the insurance requirements for fleets during  test-
 ing  in  line  with  current  requirements prescribed in the vehicle and
 traffic law.
   § 4. The Erie County Sheriff, University at Buffalo Campus Police, and
 Town of Amherst Police shall have the authority to supervise  autonomous
 vehicle technology testing as described in section three of this act.
   §  5.  The  department  of  transportation  shall make a report to the
 governor and the legislature of its findings, conclusions and  recommen-
 dations  no  later  than six months after the effective date of this act
 and shall promulgate the necessary regulations relating to section three
 of this act no later than ninety days after delivering its report.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.

2019-A8460A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Assembly Transportation
Law Section:: Transportation, Commissioner of
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: A7744

2019-A8460A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2019-A8460A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8460--A
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               July 8, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. McMAHON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation -- recommitted to the Committee  on  Transporta-
   tion  in  accordance  with  Assembly  Rule  3,  sec.  2  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee

 AN ACT authorizing the  commissioner  of  transportation  to  conduct  a
   comprehensive  study on designation of private roads on the University
   at Buffalo North Campus and public roads in the town  of  Amherst  for
   the purposes of future autonomous vehicle technology testing
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature  finds  that  automated
 vehicle technology offers widely anticipated and revolutionary potential
 for  the  transportation sector.   Among the unprecedented opportunities
 offered by this technology are inclusive  mobility  options  to  benefit
 disadvantaged,  disabled and elderly residents; congestion and emissions
 mitigation; improved livable land use;  and  improved  road  usage.  The
 legislature  also  recognizes  that  autonomous  vehicle  technology  is
 unproven and requires greater testing and the State of  New  York  is  a
 testbed  for innovation that balances the safety and needs of its public
 against the need for technological advancement.
   The legislature also recognizes that the University at Buffalo has the
 legal authority to test autonomous vehicle technology on  certain  roads
 that  have  been  determined  to  be private and therefore not under the
 jurisdiction of the New York State  Department  of  Motor  Vehicles  for
 autonomous  vehicle  technology testing approval. In addition to testing
 on these private roads, the University at Buffalo may also  test  auton-
 omous  vehicle  technology  in its parking lots, which are defined sepa-
 rately in the law, and are outside of New York State Department of Motor
 Vehicles jurisdiction.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11862-11-0

 A. 8460--A                          2
 
   In order to increase the routes available on the University at Buffalo
 North Campus for  future  autonomous  vehicle  technology  testing,  the
 legislature recognizes that the New York State Department of Transporta-
 tion has the knowledge and expertise to review traffic flow on the road-
 ways  within  the  University  at  Buffalo North Campus, and to identify
 roads that could be deemed private without  impacting  existing  traffic
 conditions in and around the University at Buffalo North Campus.
   §  2. For the purposes of this act, the term "autonomous vehicle tech-
 nology" shall mean the hardware and software that are collectively capa-
 ble of performing part or all of the dynamic driving task on a sustained
 basis, and the term "dynamic driving task" shall mean all of  the  real-
 time operational and tactical functions required to operate a vehicle in
 on-road traffic, excluding the strategic functions such as trip schedul-
 ing and selection of destinations and waypoints.
   §  3. The department of transportation shall undertake a comprehensive
 study on designation of roads on the University at Buffalo North  Campus
 and in the town of Amherst for the purposes of future autonomous vehicle
 technology testing. The study shall include:
   1.  The creation of three future testing zones in the town of Amherst,
 about which the department shall publish regulations relating to  future
 testing and safety:
   (a)  Zone  one--Flint  Road between Service Center Road and John James
 Audubon Parkway; John James  Audubon  Parkway  between  Flint  Road  and
 Service Center Road on the University at Buffalo Campus;
   (b)  Zone  two--Flint  Road  Loop;  Augsberger Road between Putnam Way
 North, and Hadley Road; Putnam Way North between Hadley Road  and  Augs-
 berger Road; Hadley Road between Augsberger Road and Putnam Way North;
   (c)  Zone  three--John  James Audubon Parkway Northbound between Flint
 Road and Lee Road; John James Audubon Parkway  Southbound,  between  Lee
 Road  and  Flint  Road;  Lee Road between John James Audubon Parkway and
 White Drive; White Drive between Lee Road and Hamilton Road; and  Hamil-
 ton Road from John James Audubon Parkway to Putnam Road North;
   2. The installation of smart sensors or other technology deemed neces-
 sary  for  the  implementation  of  future autonomous vehicle technology
 testing; and
   3. Guidelines for  compliance  with  the  insurance  requirements  for
 fleets   during  future  testing,  in  line  with  current  requirements
 prescribed in the vehicle and traffic law.
   § 4. At no time shall any testing of autonomous vehicle technology  be
 conducted  in  the  testing  zones  defined in section three of this act
 during completion of this study.
   § 5. As part of the study,  the  department  of  transportation  shall
 review  the  ability  of  the Erie County sheriff, University at Buffalo
 campus police, and Town of Amherst police to supervise autonomous  vehi-
 cle technology testing as described in section three of this act.
   §  6.  The  department  of  transportation  shall make a report to the
 governor and the legislature of its findings, conclusions and  recommen-
 dations  no  later  than six months after the effective date of this act
 and shall promulgate the necessary regulations relating to section three
 of this act no later than ninety days after delivering its report.
   § 7. This act shall take effect immediately.

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