This week, California lawmakers introduced new legislation (AB 3061) that requires increased reporting of accidents and traffic violations for autonomous vehicles. The bill, sponsored by the Teamsters, also includes a provision that would freeze autonomous vehicle operations statewide while the DMV investigates any mis- or underreporting of data by an AV operator. For the DMV to freeze AV operations across California, no finding of wrongdoing is required. The bill also allows any member of the public to trigger an investigation by reporting “evidence of an incident.” The bill text of AB 3061 is available here.

“This bill is a wolf dressed up in data transparency clothing,” said Chamber of Progress CEO Adam Kovacevich. “The Teamsters want to shut down autonomous vehicles in California, and this legislation just might do it. The sad reality is that if California wants to achieve Vision Zero after years of failed progress, AVs are the ticket to safer roads. Lawmakers and the public should know the truth about this bill: it would set California back a decade in deploying AVs and addressing the traffic safety crisis.”

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