Key Information. Feds Self Driving Car Regulations.

  • voluntary 15-point “safety assessment” for automakers covering:
    • Data Recording and Sharing
    • Privacy
    • System Safety
    • Vehicle Cybersecurity
    • Human Machine Interface
    • Crashworthiness
    • Consumer Education and Training
    • Registration and Certication
    • Post-Crash Behavior
    • Federal, State and Local Laws
    • Ethical Considerations
    • Operational Design Domain
    • Object and Event Detection and Response
    • Fall Back (Minimal Risk Condition)
    • Validation Methods 
  • model state regulations define state responsibility as:
    • Licensing (human) drivers and registering motor vehicles in their jurisdictions;
    • Enacting and enforcing traffic laws and regulations (including related to accidents);
    • Conducting safety inspections, where States choose to do so; 
    • Regulating motor vehicle insurance and liability. 

 

U.S. Department of Transportation Proposed Regulations for Autonomous Vehicles 

Does A Space Port Qualify as a Public Purpose for Eminent Domain? Probably Not in this Red State.

Where: Georgia

Why does the sapce port need eminent domain? Because of the frequency of launches, land surrounding the area may need to be condemned for safety purposes.

What state law impediment exists? In 2006, Georgia amended its eminent domain laws to require a public purpose, and it’s believed space travel does not meet that standard.

WABE Atlantat’s NPR | Safety, Legal Issues Could Ground Georgia Spaceport Plans

TREND. 3 Ways Port of Houston Freight Shuttle Will Change Port Transportation.

The Port of Houston and researchers at Texas A&M Transportation Institute generated Freight Shuttle International entered into an agreement to start testing.

3 Ways this shuttle project will revolutionize freight, disrupting the industry: 

  • It solves for freight’s most pressing quagmire: moving goods less than 500 miles
  • It will make use of existing right of ways to move freight on a guideway track
  • Uses 1/3 the energy of trucks

Railway Track and Structures | Freight Shuttle eyes redefinition of goods movement

Business Trend. Local Trend. Top 3 Concerns. Self Driving Taxis.

Pittsburgh is home to a new fleet of Uber’s self-driving taxis. For the Ying of self driving taxis, is the Yang of safety experts.

The safety concerns:

  • self driving technology is not ready for primetime.
    • It’s like the safety experts think self driving taxis are the Kaepernick of transportation world. 
  • PA has no self driving car statutes or regs.
    • e.g. Who do we sue if there is an accident?
  • Self driving cars have gone off bridges and Pittsburgh has a lot of bridges
    • building bridges isn’t safe or good?

Governing | As Pittsburgh Gears Up to Debut Self-Driving Ubers, Safety Experts Worry

Washington Post | For some safety experts, Uber’s self-driving taxi test isn’t something to hail

Federal Grant to Test Alternative to Gas Tax

Which state received this federal grant? Delaware  Department of Transportation

What alternative to the gas tax is Delaware testing? Mileage based tax

Grant amount: $1.49 million federal grant

Are other states involved?  yes, 5 Atlantic Coast states are testing a mileage based transportation funding mechanism

What does the pilot program look like?

  • Transportation officials will track the driving habits of 50 volunteer Delaware motorists
  • The goal is to assess a charge based on their mileage.
  • Similar projects in:
    • Pennsylvania
    • Connecticut
    • New Hampshire
    • Vermont
  • Total cost for all five states is $2.98 million

Delaware Online | Feds approve grant to test gas tax replacement

 

Driverless Freight Scheduled for Port of Houston. 3 Key Pieces of Intel

Developer of driverless freight technology:  Freight shuttle system technology developed at Texas A&M University

Announcement of the collaboration: September 9th in Bryan, TX

How will the port utilize the technology? The port will hold a  privately funded licensee of the technology

Government Technology | Electric, Driverless Freight Shuttle Might Solve Trucking-Related Problems in Texas

Highway Signs. Bill Boards. Appellate Court Opens Doors for Advertisers.

Which Court of Appeals? 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin

What did the Court do with the Texas Highway Beautification Act? Struck down key portions of the Act, specifically Subchapters B and C

For those who love statutes: Subchapter B REGULATION OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING GENERALLY & Subchapter C LICENSE AND PERMIT FOR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING

Why were these subchapters struck? unconstitutional content based restrictions on free speech

Houston Chronicle | Core of Texas highway sign ban tossed by appeals court

Auspro Enterprises, LP v. Texas Department of Transportation 03-14-00375-CV

Statesman | Court voids heart of Texas Highway Beautification Act