Tennessee Code Title 55. Motor and Other Vehicles § 55-8-202

Current as of January 02, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) No political subdivision may by ordinance, resolution, or any other means prohibit within the jurisdictional boundaries of the political subdivision the use of a motor vehicle equipped with autonomous technology if the motor vehicle otherwise complies with all safety regulations of the political subdivision.

(b)(1) A state or local law enforcement agency may establish a policy regarding methods in which to enforce traffic offenses committed by an ADS, including providing notices of violation or citations, and if such a policy is established, then the policy must align with the following:

(A) If a POST-certified or state-commissioned law enforcement officer makes a determination that a traffic offense under this chapter or chapter 9 or 10 of this title has been committed by an automated driving system, then a notice of violation or a citation must be sent by first class mail to the registered owner of the ADS-operated vehicle. A notice of violation or citation mailed to the last known address of the registered owner constitutes valid service;

(B) A notice of violation or citation must be sent within twenty (20) business days after the occurrence of the violation, absent exigent circumstances arising from registration irregularities;

(C) All notices of violations or citations must have a return address in this state and all responses and payments must be made to an address in this state. A notice of violation or citation must allow for payment of the traffic violation or citation within thirty (30) days of the mailing of the notice;

(D) An additional penalty or other costs must not be assessed for nonpayment of a traffic violation or citation issued to a registered owner of an ADS-operated vehicle unless a second notice is sent by first class mail to the owner and the second notice provides for an additional thirty (30) days for payment of the violation or citation; and

(E) The notice of violation or citation must state the amount of the fine that is being assessed for the alleged violation. The notice of violation or citation must state separately any additional fees or court costs that may be assessed if the fine is not paid timely or if the violation or citation is contested and the ADS is found to have committed the traffic offense.

(2) If a state or local law enforcement agency establishes a policy regarding methods in which to enforce traffic offenses committed by an ADS in accordance with subdivision (b)(1), and a POST-certified or state-commissioned law enforcement officer of the agency makes a determination that a traffic offense under this chapter or chapter 9 or 10 of this title has been committed by an ADS, and a notice of violation or citation is issued in accordance with the established policy, then:

(A) The registered owner may elect not to contest the charge and may, in lieu of appearance in court, submit the fine to the address provided on notice of violation or citation;

(B) If the traffic citation is not paid within the time specified, then additional fees or court costs may be assessed; and

(C) If the traffic citation is not paid and the owner appears in court at the time specified, or such later date as may be fixed by the court, and the ADS is found to have committed the traffic offense, then additional fees or court costs may be assessed.

(c)(1) “Automated driving system” or “ADS” and “ADS-operated vehicle” have the same meanings as defined in § 55-30-102;

(2) “Autonomous technology” means technology installed on a motor vehicle that has the capability to drive the vehicle on which the technology is installed in high or full automation mode, without any supervision by a human operator, with specific driving mode performance by the automated driving system of all aspects of the dynamic driving task that can be managed by a human driver, including the ability to automatically bring the motor vehicle into a minimal risk condition in the event of a critical vehicle or system failure or other emergency event;

(3) “Driving mode” means a type of driving scenario with characteristic dynamic driving task requirements including, but not limited to, the following:

(A) Expressway merging;

(B) High speed cruising;

(D) Closed-campus operations;

(4) “Dynamic driving task” means the operational and tactical aspects of the driving task, but does not include the strategic aspect of the driving task;

(5) “Operational” means steering, braking, accelerating, and monitoring the vehicle and roadway;

(6) “Strategic” means determining destinations and waypoints; and

(7) “Tactical” includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(A) Responding to events; and

(B) Determining when to change lanes, turn, or use signals.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Tennessee Code Title 55. Motor and Other Vehicles § 55-8-202 - last updated January 02, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-55-motor-and-other-vehicles/tn-code-sect-55-8-202/

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