Diegnan, Kean Resolution to Establish the ‘NJ Advanced Autonomous Vehicle Task Force’ Advances from Senate

TRENTON – A resolution sponsored by Senate Transportation Chair Patrick Diegnan, Jr. and Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean, which would establish the “New Jersey Autonomous Vehicle Task Force,” advances from the full Senate.

“The engineering and development of autonomous vehicle technology is well underway in a majority of other states, and is positioned to make a major economic impact,” said Senator Diegnan (D-Middlesex). “By allowing the testing of autonomous vehicles on our roads, New Jersey would put itself on the same economic and technological playing field as those states.”

“New Jersey’s economy and workforce have much to gain from being at the forefront of self-driving technology,” said Kean (R-Morris/Somerset/Union). “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently determined that 94 percent of serious car crashes are caused by human error. Creating a bipartisan, multifaceted task force to evaluate and recommend the best driverless car policies will send a positive message to job creators and entrepreneurs. It’s a great step forward in our ongoing effort to make New Jersey the most innovative state in the country.”

The task force would conduct a study of advanced autonomous vehicles and make recommendations on laws, rules and regulations that New Jersey could enact or adopt to safely integrate advanced autonomous vehicles onto the state’s highways, streets and roads.

The task force would evaluate whether the state should enact stricter safety standards, study regulations and laws in other states concerning safety standards, and recommend how New Jersey could safely integrate advanced autonomous vehicles onto all roads.

The resolution, SJR-105, was released from the Senate by a vote of 39-0, and now goes to the Governor.