The Alaska House advanced a bill Thursday that would regulate commercial self-driving vehicles.
Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks and the bill’s sponsor, said Thursday that while autonomous cars may function well in other states like California, Alaska’s weather and road conditions can change quickly and autonomous vehicles may not function the same way.
HB 217 says that self-driving vehicles may be used for commercial purposes if the vehicle weighs 10,000 pounds or less and is designed to transport no more than 16 people. A qualified driver, called a “human safety operator” in the bill, must be physically present in the car with the ability to intervene if needed.
“By requiring a qualified human safety operator to be present, the bill ensures that a qualified driver would potentially be able to intervene if there was a technological malfunction that occurred. It ultimately keeps all road users safe and helps to preserve jobs in Alaska in this industry,” Carrick said.
The bill does not apply to electrically powered personal delivery devices that operate on sidewalks, transport personal property, weigh less than 120 pounds and have a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour.
Patrick FitzGerald, political coordinator for Teamsters Local 959, a union representing employees in over 80 trades, asked legislators to support the bill, writing that the regulation of autonomous vehicles will protect the safety of drivers on the road and Alaskan jobs. He added that a human safety operator will add an additional layer of safety for commercial vehicles.
The bill received opposition from Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association and TechNet.
Rose Feliciano, director of TechNet, an advocacy group for the technology industry, wrote in a letter to legislators that the bill could limit “the use of safe, proven AV technology on Alaska’s roads” and prevent autonomous vehicles from operating in Alaska. Feliciano stated that autonomous vehicles will increase the safety and efficiency of freight movement, create new jobs, alleviate supply chain challenges and supplement the truck driver workforce.
Chief Executive Officer of Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association Jeff Farrah agreed with Feliciano, writing that autonomous vehicles support road safety, create new jobs and bring economic and environmental benefits to Alaska.
“AVs will usher in a new era of mobility that will make Alaska’s transportation system safer and more efficient. We strongly believe Alaska should support safety-enhancing policies without foreclosing a future with AVs,” he said.
The Division of Motor Vehicles did not anticipate a fiscal impact.
The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee Tuesday afternoon.