PLACE Act

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to make grants for the operation of a clearinghouse to collect, conduct, and fund research on the influences of highly automated vehicles on land use, urban design, transportation, real estate, and municipal budgets, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preparing Localities for an Autonomous and Connected Environment Act PLACE Act 2. National highly automated vehicle and mobility innovation clearinghouse (a) In general Subchapter I of chapter 55 5506. National highly automated vehicle and mobility innovation clearinghouse (a) In general The Secretary shall make a grant to an institution of higher education engaged in research on the secondary impacts of highly automated vehicles and mobility innovation to— (1) operate a national highly automated vehicle and mobility innovation clearinghouse; (2) collect, conduct, and fund research on the secondary impacts of highly automated vehicles and mobility innovation; (3) make such research available on a public website; and (4) conduct outreach and dissemination of the information described in this subsection to assist communities. (b) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) to carry out this section $2,000,000 for each fiscal year from funds made available to carry out sections 512 through 518 of title 23, United States Code. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Highly automated vehicle The term highly automated vehicle (A) is capable of performing the entire task of driving (including steering, accelerating and decelerating, and reacting to external stimulus) without human intervention; and (B) is designed to be operated exclusively by a Level 3, Level 4, or Level 5 automated driving system for all trips according to the recommended practice standards published on June 15, 2018, by the Society of Automotive Engineers International (J3016_201806) or equivalent standards adopted by the Secretary with respect to automated motor vehicles. (2) Mobility innovation The term mobility innovation (3) Institution of higher education The term institution of higher education 20 U.S.C. 1001 (4) Secondary impacts The term secondary impacts . (b) Clerical amendment The analysis for chapter 55 5506. National highly automated vehicle and mobility innovation clearinghouse. . (c) Deadline for clearinghouse The Secretary of Transportation shall ensure that the institution of higher education that receives the grant described in section 5506(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall establish the national highly automated vehicle clearinghouse described in such section not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

Summary: Preparing Localities for an Autonomous and Connected Environment Act or the PLACE Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to provide grants to institutions of higher education to (1) operate a national highly automated vehicle and mobility innovation clearinghouse; (2) collect, conduct, and fund research on how autonomous vehicles and mobility innovation can impact land use, urban design, transportation systems, real estate, accessibility, municipal budgets, social equity, availability and quality of jobs, air quality and climate, energy consumption, and the environment; (3) make such research publicly available online; and (4) conduct outreach and disseminate information on the research to assist communities.