Jan. 17, 2021—The Pennsylvania State Legislature is considering a new bill that would allow AV companies to test driverless vehicles on state roads.
S.B. 965, a bipartisan effort proposed by the state's transportation secretary, is touted by supporters as an opportunity to make Pennsylvania a leader in producing and testing AVs, according to a news release from the Automotive Service Association. The ASA is urging the state senate to add provisions to make inspection standards for AVs as rigorous as they are for vehicles that aren't autonomous.
“ASA supports the development and implementation of autonomous vehicles. However, autonomous vehicle legislation should not pass without proper vehicle safety provisions," ASA Chairman Fred Hules II said in the release. "New technology needs to be regularly inspected by qualified repair professionals to ensure that vehicle systems are working properly to keep drivers and other road users safe.”