Montana Title 60. Highways and Transportation § 60-2-246. Platooning--study--rulemaking

(1) The department of transportation shall complete a feasibility study to determine whether platooning can be safely conducted in Montana.  The study must include consideration of Montana's various terrain, weather extremes, effectiveness of supporting communication networks, and any other considerations applicable to the safety of the motoring public.

(2) If, upon completion and analysis of the study required in subsection (1), the department determines that platooning can be safely conducted, it shall adopt rules and standards for platooning.  Prior to proposing rules on platooning, the department shall engage stakeholders, such as members of the transportation interim committee, representatives of law enforcement agencies, the trucking industry, platooning technology developers, ranchers, drivers, pedestrians, tribal governments, and local governments.

(3) Platooning may be allowed following the implementation of department rules and standards.

(4) For the purposes of this section, “platooning” means operating partially or fully autonomous motor vehicles that are trailers, trucks, or truck tractors, as defined in 61-1-101, to travel on a highway at electronically coordinated speeds in a unified manner at a following distance that is closer than would be reasonable and prudent without the use of the technology.