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Senate committee advances bill requiring state crash reports if federal reporting ends
Summary
SB 572 would require vehicle manufacturers to report crashes involving driver‑assistance features to the California DMV if the federal government ceases collecting the data; firefighters and consumer safety groups testified in support.
The Senate Transportation Committee advanced SB 572, which would require manufacturers of vehicles with driver‑assistance features (level‑2 systems such as adaptive cruise control and lane‑centering) to report crashes to the California Department of Motor Vehicles if the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stops requiring such reporting.
Author Sen. Anna Gonzalez said the bill is a backstop to preserve access to crash and collision data should NHTSA curtail reporting. Supporters included the California Professional Firefighters and Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety; Doug Soopers of California Professional Firefighters told the committee that firefighters often see crash scenes and that state‑level data would help identify trends involving emerging driver‑assistance technologies.
Rosemary Shahan of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety said California already leads in crash reporting counts for level‑2 systems and that state collection would be especially important if federal reporting were reduced. Tesla appeared as an oppose‑unless‑amended witness, expressing concerns but not taking a final no position.
Committee action: The committee voted to refer SB 572 to the Senate Committee on Judiciary; the hearing record shows the motion carried (committee roll call recorded unanimous support among those present at the time of the vote).
Context and next steps: The bill is described by its sponsors as insurance for continued oversight and transparency if federal tracking changes. It would put DMV in the reporting role only in the event of federal withdrawal of the NHTSA reporting requirement; supporters noted the importance of preserving systemic safety information to identify technology‑related crash patterns.
