Washington bill seeks to regulate the use of driverless vehicle on state roads

(The Center Square) – A bill introduced in the Washington State Legislature this session seeks to address concerns over the presence of driverless vehicles on the road and whether they should be allowed to operate with no driver actually inside.

House Bill 1984, sponsored by Rep. Shelley Kloba, D-Kenmore, would make it illegal for such vehicles to operate without a driver. At the same time, the legislation aims to create more oversight over the testing of driverless or autonomous vehicles, or AVs, on public roadways.

Testifying in favor of the bill at its public hearing in the House Transportation Committee, Kloba said that the technology offers a path to “make our lives easier and safer,” adding that it creates an opportunity for people to have a “customized, personalized transportation option.”

In 2017, Gov. Jay Inslee signed an executive ordering permitting pilot programs for AVs, which is overseen by the state Department of Licensing. The Society of Automotive Engineering has different levels of vehicle autonomy, with cruise control at Level 2 compared to Level 4-5, which the society defines as “autonomous.” While Tesla vehicles have a Full Self-Driving mode, they are not considered autonomous because a driver is still required to be attentive and take control at any time.

The debate over whether to require a licensed driver in AVs stems from questions over liability in the event of an accident, but also limitations on the existing technology to properly distinguish things such as people, bikes, or detect black ice.

Kloba said requiring drivers means they will be there to take over “for when those edge cases come up … that any of us could come across. Those are the kind of reasons this bill is really important.”

Under HB 1984, self-certifying entities must provide various information including their contact information, local jurisdictions where they intend to test AVs, the vehicle identification numbers, and proof of an insurance policy that meets state law requirements.

Testifying in favor of the bill was Nick Gullickson with the Washington State Council of Firefighters. He told the committee that “there have been several documented safety concerns across the country involving driverless vehicles and firefighters responding to or operating at emergency scenes. These incidents range from driverless vehicles blocking fire trucks and ambulances from getting out of the station when dispatched to an emergency and not yielding to emergency lights and intersections.”

He noted that all of the incidents “could have been avoided had there been a driver physically presented taking control of the vehicle when needed. There's already no room for error in this profession when you consider the fact that a fire doubles in size every minute and literal seconds can mean the life or death for someone experiencing a cardiac event.”

A woman representing Chamber Progress, a tech industry coalition, spoke in opposition to the bill, arguing that it “effectively bans AVs by requiring a human presence…even after they have demonstrated their ability to operate safely and will deny all the benefits to Washingtonian residents.”

“We are strong supporters of AVs because of their enormous social economic environmental benefits,” she said. “AVs have the potential to save thousands of lives and expand mobility for thousands of people in Washington.”

No further committee action is scheduled for HB 1984.