An Act relative to the safety of autonomous vehicles

This bill (HD 1848) requires autonomous vehicles registered in Massachusetts to meet federal motor vehicle standards. It mandates that a human safety operator must be physically present in the vehicle during any operation involving transporting passengers or goods across state lines (interstate commerce), and the operator must be able to monitor the vehicle and intervene immediately if needed. The operator must also hold all required state and federal qualifications for driving. This directly affects companies operating autonomous vehicles for passenger or freight services within Massachusetts.