Legislation to test autonomous vehicles in Illinois may come up again in the November veto session, although the lead sponsor of a pilot bill says there is still a lot of work to do.
Autonomous vehicles, or AVs, are motor vehicles that have an automated driving system. Currently AVs are not available for purchase, however robotaxis are in operation in some parts of the United States, including Arizona, Austin, Texas and San Francisco. The vehicles are not yet authorized in Illinois. However, State Representative Kam Buckner of Chicago has called for a formal framework through a House Bill, to test and deploy self-driving cars in the state. At this time, reports say the bill has been stalled in the General Assembly. The Chicago Democrat has also urged the newly founded Northern Illinois Transit Authority to study how autonomous vehicles could work alongside the existing public transport network, if they’re made legal.
If enacted, the bill would create the Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Project Act, which would only allow testing in counties with over a million residents in Illinois, including Metro East areas and parts of St. Clair, Monroe and Sangamon County.