AI Frontier Institute

Autonomous vehicles; safety; data

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Arizona SB 1417 (57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session, 2026), introduced by Senator Bolick, amends and expands Arizona's autonomous vehicle (AV) law under Title 28, Chapter 32. Key changes include: (1) Section 28-9701 adds new definitions for 'distinct roadway participant,' 'fallback-ready user,' 'near-miss event,' and 'vulnerable road user.' (2) Section 28-9702 requires department approval of each AV's operational design domain and service area before public road operation, mandates quarterly safety performance reports to both the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Public Safety (DPS) covering miles driven, collisions, near-miss events, and software updates, and requires notification of material software or mapping changes within ten days. (3) Section 28-9703 requires DOT to adopt rules defining safety data reporting formats, independent third-party audit structures, and fleet identification standards, and to enter a memorandum of understanding with DPS on enforcement and data reporting. (4) New Section 28-9709 establishes a formal approval process for operational design domains and service areas, including geographic maps, speed limits, weather tolerances, traffic density limits, and system behavior at intersections, and requires the department to issue a visible manufacturer or operator identifier upon approval. (5) New Section 28-9710 mandates continuous recording of operational data covering at least 30 seconds before and after a collision or near-miss, secure tamper-resistant storage for at least 12 months, and access for law enforcement and regulators while keeping data confidential except for authorized purposes. (6) New Section 28-9711 requires fully autonomous driverless vehicles to pass department-certified performance tests for interactions with vulnerable road users and distinct roadway participants—including motorcycle detection, pedestrian detection, and bicycle lane sharing—and mandates independent third-party safety assessor review before any service area expansion. (7) Section 28-9708 adds civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation per day for violations of the article. (8) New Section 28-9712 establishes an Autonomous Vehicle Safety Fund from civil penalties and appropriations to fund safety testing, annual independent audits of AV performance data, public education, and law enforcement training grants. The act takes effect December 31, 2026.

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