Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026

The Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026 creates a new program within the District Department of Transportation to regulate and monitor commercial autonomous vehicles in Washington, D.C. It establishes a phased rollout that begins with driverless testing permits and allows commercial ride-sharing services to launch with a fleet limit of 200 vehicles, expanding only after operators submit plans to manage parking and traffic. The legislation sets specific rules for when different levels of autonomous driving features can be used, requires manufacturers to register high-level automated vehicles, and imposes a tax of $0.15 per mile on commercial autonomous vehicle operations. Revenue from this tax is split to fund improvements to public transit infrastructure and workforce training programs for existing taxi and rideshare drivers. Additionally, the bill clarifies liability rules to determine responsibility in accidents and mandates safety plans for emergency interactions and system failures.