Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – A bill to establish an autonomous vehicle testing pilot program and make our roads and highways safer was signed into law by Governor David Ige yesterday.
HB2590 HD2 SD2 (Act 21) enables the State to test automated driving technology to ensure public roads are as safe as possible for automated vehicle deployment and requires reports on the project be given to the Legislature.
“HB 2590 authorizes Hawaiʻi's Department of Transportation (HDOT) to test, deploy and determine other important parameters for use of automated vehicles,” said Representative Henry J.C. Aquino (District 38, Waipahu), Chair of the House Transportation Committee. “Technology is improving rapidly and testing this type of technology is important to ensure, in the future, that public roadways are as safe as possible.
“HDOT, UH and others have already laid some important groundwork to make this effort possible. Act 21 will help to keep our roadways safe and paves the way for future economic development at time where we need it most.”
According to the United States Department of Transportation, more than 37,000 people were killed on U.S. roadways in 2017, with human error accounting for more than 94 percent of those fatalities.
The bill states that vehicles equipped with automated driving systems can ultimately reduce the severity and number of vehicle crashes, improve road safety while saving consumers time and money, reduce pollution, dramatically expand mobility for individuals with disabilities, and facilitate better land use in urban settings.