- Gibson Martucci
- 916-319-3104
- gibson.martucci@asm.ca.gov
(SACRAMENTO, CA) — The California State Assembly recently passed Assembly Bill 33 (AB 33) with a bipartisan vote of 57-7-15. It moves to the State Senate for consideration. Authored by Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), the bill will ensure public safety and workforce protections as autonomous vehicle (AV) technology expands into commercial delivery services.
“People deserve safe streets and transparent data on how AVs are working in their neighborhoods,” said Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry. “This bill is an opportunity to innovate AV technology while protecting public safety and workers’ livelihoods.”
AB 33 requires a qualified human safety operator onboard autonomous commercial delivery vehicles and the evaluation of safety data before AV delivery vehicles are deployed statewide. Human safety operators will monitor the vehicles for malfunctions and intervene in emergencies when on public roads. AB 33 also includes a framework for data collection by the Department of Motor Vehicles and a legislative review process to evaluate and recommend safety impacts before fully autonomous commercial deliveries will be permitted statewide without human oversight. Aguiar-Curry authored the bill in response to growing public concern over hundreds of driverless vehicle incidents in San Francisco.
AB 33 has strong support from a coalition of labor unions and consumer advocates, including the California Federation of Labor Unions and Teamsters. “The Teamsters will not back down as Big Tech continues putting profits over working people and public safety,” said Chris Griswold, Teamsters International Vice President AtLarge and President of Joint Council 42. “The regulation of driverless vehicles has overwhelming bipartisan support for a reason. AVs are dangerous and a threat to hundreds of thousands of California workers. AB 33 will ensure that Silicon Valley doesn’t destroy an entire workforce during its never-ending quest to move fast and break things.”
Opponents of this bill claim it will stifle the innovation of AV technology. “AB 33 doesn’t ban or delay AV deployment. Instead, it provides guardrails as the technology develops,” concludes Aguiar-Curry. “And nearly 80 percent of California voters support AB 33 because it prioritizes public safety and accountability as this new technology grows.”