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Assembly approves guardrails for commercial autonomous delivery vehicles, requires human safety operator and reporting
Summary
Lawmakers passed AB 33, which requires a qualified human safety operator aboard commercial autonomous delivery vehicles while they operate on neighborhood streets and sets reporting and a legislative review trigger.
The Assembly passed AB 33 on May 14 by a 52–6 roll-call vote, adopting a bill that requires a qualified human safety operator to be present in commercial autonomous delivery vehicles during operations on local streets and establishes data collection and a legislative review trigger.
Why it matters: The bill aims to preserve a human safety layer while the state and companies gather real-world safety data for new uses of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology in last-mile delivery. Supporters cited incidents in San Francisco — including AVs obstructing emergency responses and at least one pedestrian injury — to argue for cautious deployment in neighborhoods. Opponents argued the bill could slow technology adoption that might ultimately save lives.
What the bill does: AB 33 requires a human safety operator in delivery AVs, mandates collection and reporting of safety data to state authorities, and creates a legislative review trigger so the Legislature can reassess the requirement once a body of data exists. The author framed the requirement as a temporary safety step with a legislatively mandated review to balance innovation and public safety.
Floor debate: Supporters including the author and coauthors emphasized worker and public-safety concerns and said the bill provides a transparent path for legislative oversight. Opponents argued that automation can reduce traffic fatalities caused by human drivers and that the bill would chill innovation; one member urged a sunset rather than open-ended restrictions. The author said the bill does not ban AVs and includes a reporting trigger for later review.
Formal action: The clerk recorded a roll-call vote: Ayes 52, No 6. The measure passed and will require coordination between the Department of Motor Vehicles and legislative committees for the mandated reporting and review timeline.
Next steps: Agencies named in the bill must collect and analyze data and report back to the Legislature as required; the Legislature will revisit the human-operator requirement when the data trigger is met.
