Senate panel hears autonomous vehicle bill requiring human operators

The Senate Transportation Committee heard testimony Tuesday on legislation that would require human operators in commercial autonomous vehicles traveling Alaska roads.

Senate Bill 148, sponsored by Senator Robert Myers of North Pole, would mandate that commercial trucks and buses using autonomous technology keep a qualified driver in the seat ready to take control. The requirement would not apply to personal vehicles with self-driving features.

Myers said the bill aims to balance safety with innovation as autonomous vehicle technology advances nationwide. He pointed to fully autonomous taxis already operating in San Francisco and autonomous trucks hauling freight between Houston and Dallas.

"Alaska presents conditions that are very different from the environments where most autonomous vehicles are currently being tested," Myers said. "Snow, ice, and extreme weather introduce variables that these systems have not been widely proven to handle just yet."

The bill would establish statutory definitions for different levels of autonomous technology and clarify liability when accidents occur. Myers said Alaska currently has no laws specifically addressing autonomous vehicles or defining who is responsible when something goes wrong.

Under the proposed framework, liability would fall to the operator, modifier, programmer, or manufacturer of the vehicle, in that order. The bill would prohibit commercial autonomous vehicles from transporting interstate commerce goods or passengers unless a physically present operator is in the vehicle.

Patrick Fitzgerald, political coordinator for Teamsters Local 959, testified in support of the measure. He cited news reports of autonomous vehicles shutting down crowded roadways and taking wrong routes as reasons Alaska needs safeguards.

"Road conditions are ever-changing and are at times dangerous for even the most experienced drivers," Fitzgerald said. He emphasized the bill would not restrict autonomous vehicle use in Alaska, only require qualified operators behind the wheel of commercial vehicles.

Senator Rauscher questioned whether the bill should extend the human operator requirement to all autonomous vehicles, not just commercial ones. He raised concerns about passenger cars with self-driving features encountering icy roads or malfunctioning railroad crossing gates.

Myers said he crafted the bill to leave room for innovation in smaller vehicles while addressing safety concerns with larger commercial trucks and buses. He said he would be open to discussing where to draw the line on vehicle size requirements.

The committee took no action on the bill. Myers noted a companion measure is already moving through the House. The committee did not schedule a vote and set the bill aside for future consideration.