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At a Texas Senate Transportation Committee meeting in September 2024, committee members made it clear they want to continue supporting the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry. The industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the last seven years in Texas, but senators signaled they are ready to make changes in the way AV cars and trucks are regulated, particularly the working fleets – those used to deliver goods or as “robotaxis” transporting people.

At the meeting, senators met with leaders from organizations including the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA) and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators). The discussion centered on updating current rules for AV companies using Texas roads.

How Texas Became an Epicenter for Autonomous Vehicles

In 2017, the Texas Senate established rules for AVs through Texas Bill 2205. Lawmakers had recognized that Texas was ready to be a major part of the AV industry. Through Bill 2205, the senators gave the operators of the vehicles the green light to run on Texas roads as long as they followed a handful of rules which included the state’s traffic and motor vehicle laws, having an automated driving system in compliance with federal law and federal motor vehicle safety standards in the vehicle, and also having an operating recording device on board.

At the transportation committee meeting, Texas senators and industry executives reviewed how the AV landscape has changed since the original legislation was enacted. There are at least 17 companies that have deployed their vehicles in Texas, and in Austin alone, there are at least five AV companies in operation.

Ariel Wolf, general counsel for the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, told senators that he considered Texas “a success story” and that many other states now look at Texas as the model for the industry.

Sen. Robert Nichols, the chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said that while he wants the AV industry to continue thriving in Texas he has concerns. “Everybody is not quite as safe as others,’’ Nichols said. “If somebody chooses not to be a safe provider then the state at some point needs to be in a position to step in and have a set of rules to follow.”

Nichols explained that they would like to require AV companies to apply to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for a permit and registration before sending their vehicles without drivers out on the road. He also pointed out that under the proposed system, once the DMV has the AV owner on record and if a vehicle continually has issues, it would be easier for the state to restrict it from the roads.

Nick Steingart, the director of state affairs for Auto Innovators, said that so far, the industry approved of the committee’s actions and said that industry officials believed that as the use of AVs evolved, it “fully expected for the rules to change as well.”

Before any new regulations are officially put into motion, approval needs to be received from the Texas Legislature and the governor, and more workshops could be held on the matter.

Hiring an Attorney After a Texas Car Crash Involving an AV

As the number of autonomous vehicles on Texas roads increases, so do the chances of another driver being involved in a crash with one. This brings to light the question of who can be held liable for the accident.

Before the advent of AVs, drivers involved in a car accident followed well-known procedures such as collecting contact and insurance information from the other vehicle driver. Additionally, if a person is injured, they would most often file a Texas car wreck lawsuit against the driver who caused the crash.

So what happens when the vehicle that caused the crash doesn’t have a driver? Unfortunately, the question of liability when an accident involves a driverless vehicle gets more complex. 

Currently, the best action for AV crash victims is to contact a Texas car accident attorney for guidance. Although the water is still murky when it comes to liability in an AV crash, the effort being made by Texas lawmakers can be seen as an overall attempt to bring more clarity to how the AV industry is governed in Texas including how it should be held accountable in lawsuits.

As lawmakers continue to work on new AV regulations, Texas drivers need to be cautious and understand they are sharing the roads with driverless cars. For those involved in an accident with an autonomous vehicle finding an attorney knowledgeable in these types of cases and the laws that govern driverless cars and trucks in Texas is paramount.

The Cochran Firm Texas is a leading law firm that handles all car wreck cases, including collisions involving driverless cars. Contact us online or call us today at 1-866-892-6148 for a free case evaluation.

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