SB 712-Relating to Autonomous Vehicles

On Thursday, January 25th, SB 712, by Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) was heard before the Senate Committee on Transportation and passed unanimously by a vote of 7 yeas to 0 nays. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this bill.

This bill authorizes the use of vehicles in autonomous mode in the state. The autonomous technology would be considered the human operator of the motor vehicle and provides that various provisions of law regarding motor vehicles such as rendering aid in the event of a crash do not apply to vehicles in autonomous mode where a human operator is not physically present as long as the vehicle owner promptly contacts law enforcement. The bill also addresses the applicability of laws regarding unattended motor vehicles and passenger restraint requirements as they relate to vehicles operating in autonomous mode where a human operator is not physically present in the vehicle.

SB 712 will now move on to the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance to be heard. 

AIF SUPPORTS legislation that modernizes state law to accommodate for self-driving technologies and open the door for safe, reliable modes of autonomous vehicles in a competitive marketplace.