A Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to open the door to more autonomous driving on the commonwealth’s roads, allowing people to use cars capable of steering, braking and speeding up on their own.
The forthcoming legislation would permit Pennsylvanians to operate passenger cars equipped with Level 3 autonomous technology, which enables human drivers to take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road during certain situations. The driver still has to be ready to take over if needed.
Rep. Napoleon Nelson argued in a memo to colleagues this week that the Keystone State needs to keep pace with these rapidly developing technologies.
“With these improvements, we can significantly reduce DUI incidents, make our roadways safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, offer transportation solutions to seniors and persons with disabilities and ensure the efficient use of frequently cost-prohibitive resources,” the Montgomery County Democrat wrote.
His bill, which hasn’t yet been released, would require drivers in these autonomous cars to be ready to grab the wheel and take control if required.
There are six levels of vehicle automation, ranging from zero, where the car is fully dependent on a human driver, and ending at 5 if it’s completely self-driving.
The commonwealth has already adopted some legislation on driverless cars, allowing firms and educational or research institutions to apply for a certificate to operate one.
Mercedes in 2024 became the first automaker to sell Level 3 self-driving cars to regular customers in the U.S., although the vehicles were only legally allowed in Nevada and California.
