New legislation threatens to hit the brakes on bringing driverless cars to N.J.
New Jersey drivers may wait years for driverless cars. New Jersey Senate and Assembly legislation could delay self-driving taxis for five years.
The Transportation Committee supported the measure, which the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will evaluate. The proposed law would require autonomous vehicles to complete a five-year pilot program, including three years of on-road testing with a human driver. Proponents say the bill improves public safety, while opponents say it may limit innovation and access to foreign technologies.
However, visually impaired advocates claim the restriction limits individuals who could benefit most from driverless vehicles. National Federation of the Blind New Jersey branch president Linda Melendez called the measure a delay that would impair blind and low-vision people’s mobility. Autonomous vehicles may allow 24/7 mobility without public transit limits, she claimed.
“This technology has the potential to empower people with disabilities to travel freely and safely,” Melendez told the Senate Transportation Committee. “New Jersey’s years of on-road testing make it difficult to access services from other states.”
Leading autonomous ride service Waymo fears the law. Waymo’s Regional Head of State and Local Public Policy, Matt Walsh, said the proposed restrictions might delay New Jersey’s self-driving car use for years. He claimed Waymo now offers hundreds of thousands of autonomous trips each week in numerous regions and that postponing the launch in New Jersey could leave the state behind.
Bill sponsor Senator Andrew Zwicker noted that the pilot program uses years of autonomous automobile research to carefully test the technology before adoption. Zwicker said New Jersey may lead the nation in safe, efficient autonomous transportation.
Industry groups like the New Jersey Business and Industry Association support it because it balances innovation and customer safety. A seven-person task committee, including autonomous vehicle representatives, would lead the drive to force vehicles to use designated roads with continuous monitoring and emergency communication systems.
Hoboken, Jersey City, and Newark Airport have been mapped by Waymo manual vehicles. These preliminary tests are crucial, but Waymo and other companies are lobbying lawmakers to propose reforms that would allow fully driverless operation sooner, mirroring the pace of autonomous car development elsewhere.
Public safety and innovation discussions will continue once the Act is revised. Residents and supporters believe New Jersey can quickly launch autonomous ride services.
Sources:
New Jersey State Senate, Senate Transportation Committee
National Federation of the Blind – New Jersey Chapter
Waymo Public Policy Statements
New Jersey Business and Industry Association
