Wisconsin - Oppose SB 831 - Relating to: Operation of Autonomous Vehicles on Highways

Should the State of Wisconsin adopt rules allowing vehicles to operate in Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous technology on public roads and highways? Level 4 means that an operator needs to be in the vehicle with a steering wheel and controls, but the vehicle controls itself without support from the operator. Level 5 would be a vehicle without a steering wheel or controls operating on technology controlled elsewhere.

The State Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government recently passed SB 831 out of committee on a 3 – 2 vote, with all Republicans voting in support and all Democrats opposing this legislation. Now it is available to be scheduled for a floor vote in the full Senate, and we need to ACT NOW.

ABATE of Wisconsin and its members testified against this bill during the Public Hearing, stating there is proof that this technology does not always recognize motorcycles. Our testimony mentioned that motorcyclists across the country are being run over from behind, on the freeway, at freeway speeds, because they did not recognize the motorcycle. We also testified that no manufacturer has published reports showing that testing has been completed, providing the results of their operation around motorcycles. Why not? If they can proudly publish a report about their safety around cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists, why not publish how they interact with motorcycles?

Just last month, the California DMV found Tesla in violation of state law for misleadingly using the terms “Autopilot” and Full-Service Driving” in the marketing of their vehicles. Tesla has since changed their language to “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” to avoid having their license for testing revoked. According to the California DMV, “vehicles equipped with those Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features could not at the time of those advertisements, and cannot now, operate as autonomous vehicles.”

In a state where hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists from around the world come for a weekend-long event, allowing these vehicles to operate while knowing they are not safe at this time is irresponsible and unsafe.

Please complete this Call to Action, sending a message to your Senator asking them to oppose SB 831 and any other bill that allows the testing of this technology on Wisconsin roads until the manufacturer can prove it is safe for all legal road users.

Thank you.

Steve Panten

ABATE of Wisconsin – Legislative Committee Chair