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Assembly passes bill requiring human safety operator in commercial AV deliveries; sponsors say it balances testing and safety
Summary
AB 33 passed 52–6 after extended floor debate. The bill requires a qualified human safety operator on commercial autonomous delivery vehicles during deployment and creates data and reporting triggers for legislative review.
The California Assembly on May 14 approved AB 33, which requires a qualified human safety operator to be present in commercial autonomous vehicles (AVs) used for deliveries while the technology is tested and deployed in communities.
Assemblymember Ayar Curry (floor record label: Assemblymember Agar Curry in the transcript) introduced the bill and framed it as a safety‑first approach that would allow AV testing and deployment with an onboard human monitor to collect data and respond to emergencies. She said the requirement is a temporary, safety‑focused guardrail until legislative review can be completed using real deployment data.
Supporters described real‑world incidents and public safety concerns. Assemblymember Davies, a co‑author, said the bill “ensures someone is on board in case of emergencies” and called the measure “simple” and focused on public safety. Law enforcement and safety advocates were cited by proponents who described episodes in San Francisco in which driverless vehicles blocked emergency vehicles and were involved in crashes.
Opponents argued that the bill would slow innovation and delay deployment of technology that could reduce traffic fatalities. Assemblymember Hoover said automation can save lives and warned that the bill would “chill the development of technology that will one day save the lives of those 4,000 drivers” who die annually in California crashes. Assemblymember Patterson urged a sunset and said he remained open but concerned about longer‑term restrictions.
The Assembly adopted AB 33 on a 52–6 recorded vote. The bill includes reporting requirements and a statutory trigger requiring legislative review once specified data has been collected, the author said on the floor. Supporters characterized the requirement as a means to gather safety evidence while permitting testing and limited deployment with a human operator.
What the bill does: requires a qualified human safety operator to be present in delivery‑focused AVs during testing and deployment in communities, mandates reporting on incidents and safety data, and sets a legislative review trigger to evaluate whether the operator requirement can be relaxed in the future.
What it does not do: it does not ban AV technology or testing, according to the author and co‑sponsors; several members noted the bill allows continued testing and deployment with the human safety operator requirement.
Next steps: AB 33 will proceed through the legislative process for any required concurrence and then to the governor for signature or veto. Floor proponents said the reporting provisions are designed to inform future legislative changes.
