Sec. 4. Automated driving system demonstration program
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Chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: The Secretary of Transportation shall establish an automated driving system demonstration program to make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to— test the safe integration of automated driving system technologies into the on-road transportation system of the United States and demonstrate how challenges to the safe integration of such technologies can be addressed; ensure significant data gathering and sharing of project data to identify— a baseline of safety metrics needed to characterize the safety risk of integrating automated driving system technologies into the transportation system; a baseline for the safety of automated driving system technology integration; and a baseline of roadway characteristics needed for the safe and efficient operation of automated driving system technologies; and encourage collaboration and partnerships of multiple stakeholders to carry out subparagraphs
(A)and (B). The Secretary may make a grant under this section to the following: A State or a group of States. A transit agency. A metropolitan planning organization that serves an urbanized area with a population of more than 200,000 individuals. A unit of local government or a group of local governments. A political subdivision of a State or local government. A special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority. A public academic institution, public research institution, a multijurisdictional group (as such term is defined in section 520), or a consortia of research institutions or academic institutions. To be eligible for a grant under this section, an entity described under subsection
(b)shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary determines is appropriate. A grant recipient may use funds awarded under this section to demonstrate automated driving system technologies, including— advanced safety systems, including vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications, technologies associated with autonomous vehicles, and other collision avoidance technologies, including systems using cellular technology; innovative mobility solutions that involve deployment of automated vehicles; automated driving systems that enhance safety and mobility for elderly and disabled individuals; demonstration of shared interoperable fleet of automated vehicles; demonstration and validation of exchanges of data that can support the safe, efficient, and secure interoperable integration of automated driving systems; any technology associated with automated driving systems; and any deployment concept eligible under the automated driving system demonstration grant program carried out by the Department of Transportation before the date of enactment of this section. A grant recipient may use funds awarded under this section for infrastructure needs, including capital expenses and maintenance activities, necessary to the proper and safe operation of the automated driving system technology. The Secretary may award grants to not less than 8 and not more than 10 eligible entities described under subsection
(b)in a fiscal year. In awarding a grant under this section, the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that grant recipients represent diverse geographic areas of the United States, including urban areas and rural areas. Not less than 20 percent of the amounts made available to carry out this section shall be reserved for projects serving rural areas, to the extent there are sufficient eligible applications for such projects. The Secretary shall ensure that any project carried out with funds provided under this section shall— carry out research and development of automated driving system technologies of Level 3 or greater, as such term is defined pursuant to subsection (h); include physical and fully operational demonstrations; include gathering and sharing of all relevant data with the Department of Transportation and the relevant State transportation agencies; and address scalability to be applicable across the United States to similar road environments. Not later than 1 year after the date on which a grant recipient receives a grant under this section, and annually thereafter until such grant is expended, the recipient shall submit to the Secretary and to the transportation agency of the State in which the project takes place, a report that describes— lessons learned and how the demonstration has met project objectives; a summary of any complications experienced with the project, including complications related to pedestrians, infrastructure, and other vehicles; how to use the results of the project to help the public interact and better understand the operations of automated driving system technologies; and recommendations for improving roadway characteristics needed for the safe and efficient operation of automated driving system technologies within the State or jurisdiction in which the project took place. Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue guidance defining the term Level 3 or greater by considering industry best practices and standards, including the definition found within Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles published by SAE International on June 15, 2018 (J3016_201806), or subsequent versions. In this section, the term automated driving system technologies means the hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, regardless of whether such capability is limited to a specific operational design domain. . The analysis for chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item: 522. Automated driving system demonstration program. . Section 133(b) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: Capital and maintenance expenses for infrastructure improvements to ensure the proper and safe operation of automated driving system technologies for which a demonstration project was carried out under section 522. .