Delaware bill would require onboard operators in some self-driving vehicles

Operators would have to ride inside covered self-driving vehicles during specified highway trips. The rule covers self-driving vehicles that require a Class A commercial license with no O restriction when used on Delaware highways for testing or to carry goods or passengers. The operator must hold a valid commercial license for the vehicle and have immediate access to steering, braking, and acceleration. Driver assistance features alone do not make a vehicle self-driving under this proposal. The operator must be inside while the vehicle is being operated for those purposes.

A person who breaks the onboard operator rule would face a fine. The fines apply to violations of the onboard operator rule for covered vehicles on Delaware highways. The vehicle’s registered owner would be presumed to be the person responsible. The higher fine applies when another offense occurs within three years of an earlier one.

Delaware’s Transportation Department would send lawmakers and the governor a report on the covered vehicles. The report concerns self-driving vehicles that require a Class A commercial license with no O restriction. Lawmakers must set aside money before the report is required. The department would consult safety and labor officials and independent experts. It would review crashes, jobs, road needs, and whether lawmakers should keep, change, or remove the operator rule. The report would be due by January 1, 2030, if lawmakers set aside money for it.