Requires demonstrations and tests conducted by the University at Buffalo to take place under the supervision of the Erie county sheriff, University at Buffalo campus police and/or town of Amherst police.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
S. 6993 A. 7744
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
May 21, 2021
___________
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered print-
ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transporta-
tion
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. McMAHON -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend part FF of chapter 55 of the laws of 2017 relating to
motor vehicles equipped with autonomous vehicle technology, in
relation to demonstrations and tests conducted by the University at
Buffalo
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision a of section 1 of part FF of chapter 55 of the
2 laws of 2017, relating to motor vehicles equipped with autonomous vehi-
3 cle technology, as amended by section 1 of part H of chapter 58 of the
4 laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
5 a. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1226 of the vehicle and
6 traffic law, the New York state commissioner of motor vehicles may
7 approve demonstrations and tests consisting of the operation of a motor
8 vehicle equipped with autonomous vehicle technology while such motor
9 vehicle is engaged in the use of such technology on public highways
10 within this state for the purposes of demonstrating and assessing the
11 current development of autonomous vehicle technology and to begin iden-
12 tifying potential impacts of such technology on safety, traffic control,
13 traffic enforcement, emergency services, and such other areas as may be
14 identified by such commissioner. Provided, however, that such demon-
15 strations and tests not conducted by the University at Buffalo shall
16 only take place under the direct supervision of the New York state
17 police, in a form and manner prescribed by the superintendent of the New
18 York state police. Additionally, a law enforcement interaction plan
19 shall be included as part of the demonstration and test application that
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07803-03-1
S. 6993 2 A. 7744
1 includes information for law enforcement and first responders regarding
2 how to interact with such a vehicle in emergency and traffic enforcement
3 situations. Such demonstrations and tests shall take place in a manner
4 and form prescribed by the commissioner of motor vehicles including, but
5 not limited to: a requirement that a natural person holding a valid
6 license for the operation of the motor vehicle's class be present within
7 such vehicle for the duration of the time it is operated on public high-
8 ways; a requirement that the motor vehicle utilized in such demon-
9 strations and tests complies with all applicable federal motor vehicle
10 safety standards and New York state motor vehicle inspection standards;
11 and a requirement that the motor vehicle utilized in such demonstrations
12 and tests has in place, at a minimum, financial security in the amount
13 of five million dollars. Provided further that demonstrations and tests
14 conducted by the University at Buffalo shall only take place under the
15 supervision of the Erie county sheriff, University at Buffalo campus
16 police, and/or town of Amherst police, with supervision, future testing
17 zones authorized and minimum financial security levels subject to the
18 consent of the department of transportation and town of Amherst. Nothing
19 in this act shall authorize the motor vehicle utilized in such demon-
20 strations and tests to operate in violation of article 22 or title 7 of
21 the vehicle and traffic law, excluding section 1226 of such law.
22 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that
23 the amendments to subdivision a of section 1 of part FF of chapter 55 of
24 the laws of 2017 made by section one of this act shall not affect the
25 repeal of such subdivision and shall be deemed to repeal therewith.
