Title: 21st Century Automated Vehicle Safety Act of 2018
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
21st Century Automated Vehicle Safety Act of 2018
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to make grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities (i.e., nonprofit organizations, states and localities, and institutions of higher education) for such entities to establish pilot programs to advance high-definition road mapping in order to further the safe deployment of highly automated vehicles.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6058 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6058

   To direct the Secretary of Transportation to make grants for the 
establishment of pilot programs to advance high-definition road mapping 
 in order to further the safe deployment of highly automated vehicles.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 8, 2018

 Mr. Loebsack introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Transportation to make grants for the 
establishment of pilot programs to advance high-definition road mapping 
 in order to further the safe deployment of highly automated vehicles.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``21st Century Automated Vehicle 
Safety Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF HIGH-DEFINITION ROAD MAPPING PILOT 
              PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall make grants 
on a competitive basis to eligible entities for such entities to 
establish pilot programs to advance high-definition road mapping in 
order to further the safe deployment of highly automated vehicles.
    (b) Eligibility.--The Secretary may only award a grant under this 
section to an eligible entity that--
            (1) submits an application at such time, in such form, and 
        with such information and assurances as the Secretary may 
        require;
            (2) has the ability to--
                    (A) integrate high-definition road mapping data 
                into a human-in-the-loop, motion-based driving 
                simulator that--
                            (i) has a 360-degree field of view;
                            (ii) has the ability to simultaneously 
                        perform sustained acceleration and braking 
                        combined with multiple lane changes to 
                        realistically recreate the experience of 
                        driving a vehicle; and
                            (iii) has interchangeable physical vehicle 
                        cabs to support testing with light and heavy 
                        vehicles;
                    (B) integrate high-definition road mapping data 
                into highly automated vehicles operated on public roads 
                or highways; and
                    (C) use a facility that has been designated as an 
                Automated Vehicle Proving Ground by the Secretary; and
            (3) has a demonstrated history of working with the 
        Department of Transportation or a State department of 
        transportation on high-definition road mapping.
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (1) Pilot program.--An eligible entity that is awarded a 
        grant under this section shall use the grant funds to conduct a 
        pilot program to carry out high-definition road mapping and to 
        use such mapping in the operation of highly automated vehicles 
        in order to determine the challenges, barriers, and 
        considerations that must be taken into account when planning 
        for and deploying a nationwide high-definition road mapping 
        digital infrastructure that enables the safe operation of 
        highly automated vehicles.
            (2) Requirements.--In conducting a pilot program under 
        paragraph (1), an eligible entity shall--
                    (A) identify and evaluate minimum data quality 
                standards and specifications for high-definition road 
                mapping that are required to support the safe operation 
                of highly automated vehicles, based on best practices 
                from across the United States;
                    (B) conduct a feasibility analysis of the high-
                definition road mapping, and the use of such mapping in 
                the operation of highly automated vehicles, proposed to 
                be carried out in the pilot program;
                    (C) conduct a simulation to ensure the safe 
                operation of highly automated vehicles before operating 
                any such vehicles on public roads or highways;
                    (D) ensure consideration of--
                            (i) the ability to perform accurate mapping 
                        in varied weather conditions; and
                            (ii) mapping of both rural and urban 
                        roadways and environments (including gravel 
                        roads); and
                    (E) prepare and submit to the Secretary the reports 
                required by subsection (g)(1).
            (3) Other permitted uses of funds.--An eligible entity that 
        is awarded a grant under this section may use grant funds--
                    (A) to contract, through a competitive selection 
                process, for the carrying out of any activity for which 
                grant funds are required or permitted to be used, 
                including procuring services from or carrying out 
                activities at a research center at an institution of 
                higher education (as defined in sections 101 and 102 of 
                the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001; 
                1002)) that has experience with high-definition road 
                mapping and highly automated vehicles capable of 
                ingesting high-definition road mapping data; and
                    (B) for international travel for purposes of 
                exchanging information with other institutions involved 
                in high-definition road mapping and highly automated 
                vehicle research or operation.
    (d) Duration.--An eligible entity that is awarded a grant under 
this section shall complete all activities required under the grant 
(except for preparation and submission of the final report required by 
subsection (g)(1)(B)) not later than 3 years after the date on which 
such grant is awarded.
    (e) Number of Grants.--The Secretary may not make--
            (1) more than 3 grants under this section; or
            (2) more than 1 grant under this section to the same 
        eligible entity.
    (f) Grant Amount.--The amount of each grant awarded under this 
section may not exceed $10,000,000.
    (g) Reports.--
            (1) By eligible entities to secretary.--
                    (A) Interim reports.--An eligible entity that is 
                awarded a grant under this section shall submit to the 
                Secretary, not later than 6 months, 18 months, and 2 
                years after the date on which such grant is awarded, an 
                interim report that contains a description of the 
                activities carried out using grant funds.
                    (B) Final report.--An eligible entity that is 
                awarded a grant under this section shall submit to the 
                Secretary, not later than 39 months after the date on 
                which such grant is awarded, a final report that 
                contains a description of--
                            (i) the activities carried out using grant 
                        funds;
                            (ii) the results of the pilot program 
                        conducted under subsection (c)(1), including 
                        the challenges, barriers, and considerations 
                        determined under such subsection; and
                            (iii) the minimum data quality standards 
                        and specifications identified under subsection 
                        (c)(2)(A).
            (2) By secretary to congress.--Not later than 41 months 
        after all grants under this section have been awarded, the 
        Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the activities 
        carried out using grant funds under this section that 
        summarizes the information in the reports submitted by eligible 
        entities under paragraph (1).
    (h) Definitions.--
            (1) In general.--In this section:
                    (A) Automated driving system.--The term ``automated 
                driving system'' means the hardware and software that 
                are collectively capable of performing the entire 
                dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, regardless 
                of whether such system is limited to a specific 
                operational design domain.
                    (B) Dynamic driving task.--The term ``dynamic 
                driving task'' means all of the real time operational 
                and tactical functions required to operate a vehicle in 
                on-road traffic, excluding the strategic functions such 
                as trip scheduling and selection of destinations and 
                waypoints, and including--
                            (i) lateral vehicle motion control via 
                        steering;
                            (ii) longitudinal vehicle motion control 
                        via acceleration and deceleration;
                            (iii) monitoring the driving environment 
                        via object and event detection, recognition, 
                        classification, and response preparation;
                            (iv) object and event response execution;
                            (v) maneuver planning; and
                            (vi) enhancing conspicuity via lighting, 
                        signaling, and gesturing.
                    (C) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' 
                means--
                            (i) a nonprofit organization;
                            (ii) a State or political subdivision of a 
                        State; and
                            (iii) an institution of higher education 
                        (as defined in sections 101 and 102 of the 
                        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001; 
                        1002)).
                    (D) Highly automated vehicle.--The term ``highly 
                automated vehicle''--
                            (i) means a motor vehicle equipped with an 
                        automated driving system; and
                            (ii) does not include a commercial motor 
                        vehicle (as defined in section 31101 of title 
                        49, United States Code).
                    (E) High-definition.--The term ``high-definition'' 
                means, with respect to road mapping, that the mapping 
                involves highly accurate data that enables a highly 
                automated vehicle to accurately position and control 
                itself in a lane.
                    (F) Motor vehicle.--The term ``motor vehicle'' has 
                the meaning given such term in section 30102(a) of 
                title 49, United States Code.
                    (G) Nonprofit organization.--The term ``nonprofit 
                organization'' means any corporation or association, 
                however organized, no part of the net earnings of which 
                inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or 
                individual.
                    (H) Operational design domain.--The term 
                ``operational design domain'' means the specific 
                conditions under which a given driving automation 
                system or feature thereof is designed to function.
                    (I) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
                Secretary of Transportation.
                    (J) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 
                several States, the District of Columbia, each 
                commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United 
                States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe.
            (2) Revisions to certain definitions.--
                    (A) Revisions by sae international.--If SAE 
                International (or its successor organization) revises 
                the definition of any of the terms defined in 
                subparagraph (A), (B), or (H) of paragraph (1) in 
                Recommended Practice Report J3016, it shall notify the 
                Secretary of the revision. The Secretary shall publish 
                a notice in the Federal Register to inform the public 
                of the new definition unless, within 90 days after 
                receiving notice of the new definition and after 
                opening a period for public comment on the new 
                definition, the Secretary notifies SAE International 
                (or its successor organization) that the Secretary has 
                determined that the new definition does not meet the 
                need for motor vehicle safety, or is otherwise 
                inconsistent with the purposes of chapter 301 of title 
                49, United States Code. If the Secretary so notifies 
                SAE International (or its successor organization), the 
                existing definition in paragraph (1) shall remain in 
                effect.
                    (B) Conforming amendments.--If the Secretary does 
                not reject a definition revised by SAE International 
                (or its successor organization) as described in 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall promptly make any 
                conforming amendments to the regulations and standards 
                of the Secretary that are necessary. The revised 
                definition shall apply for purposes of this section. 
                The requirements of section 553 of title 5, United 
                States Code, shall not apply to the making of any such 
                conforming amendments.
                    (C) Updates by secretary.--Pursuant to section 553 
                of title 5, United States Code, the Secretary may 
                update any of the definitions in subparagraph (A), (B), 
                or (H) of paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines 
                that materially changed circumstances regarding highly 
                automated vehicles have impacted motor vehicle safety 
                such that the definitions need to be updated to reflect 
                such circumstances.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $31,500,000, of which not more 
than 5 percent shall be available for administrative costs, for fiscal 
year 2019.
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