Assemblymember Phil Ting is preparing legislation that would introduce more stringent regulations for the robotaxi industry in California. The proposed legislation aims to treat robotaxis the same as human-operated vehicles when it comes to speeding or committing other moving violations. Ting’s decision to push for this change in existing laws was prompted by the issues that arose due to robotaxi expansion in San Francisco.
As a resident of the Sunset neighborhood, Ting has had first-hand experience with these autonomous vehicles. He even rode in a Cruise robotaxi and found the experience to be “safe and cautious.” However, the lack of clear communication between local officials and the utilities commission or the Department of Motor Vehicles led Ting to believe that stronger regulations are necessary.
One particular area of concern is the inability to ticket robotaxis for moving violations like speeding or reckless driving. Current state law lacks a mechanism for penalizing these violations, as there is no human driver present to hold accountable. Ting wants to alter the current vehicle code to ensure that autonomous vehicles can be held responsible for such violations.
To develop the legislation, Ting is consulting with local lawmakers and stakeholders who have on-the-ground experience with autonomous vehicles. He also wants companies to provide more data to local officials, similar to what they already share with federal agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
While the legislation is still being refined, there are some unresolved details, such as how law enforcement officers would enforce the law and the extent to which company data would be provided to regulators and other key agencies.
Ting has yet to engage in discussions with Cruise and Waymo, two prominent players in the robotaxi industry. However, he has been monitoring their activities since they received approval to expand their services in San Francisco.
Legislating in a new and rapidly evolving industry presents several challenges, but Ting is determined to ensure that the regulations surrounding autonomous vehicles are robust and effective.
The source of the article is from the blog zaman.co.at