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Somerville staff outline legal bounds, liability questions and communications options for autonomous-vehicle testing
Summary
City attorneys and mobility staff told the Traffic and Parking Committee Somerville currently can impose local restrictions on autonomous-vehicle testing but that pending state and federal legislation could preempt municipal authority.
Councilor Burnley asked the committee to consider whether Somerville should ban or require permits for autonomous-vehicle testing and asked the city solicitor to advise on liability and the city's regulatory authority. Councilor Brownlee asked that the mayor disclose any communications with Waymo or its parent company about testing.
City staff and attorneys including Meredith Stivers, assistant city solicitor, and Kathy Salcharts, special counsel, joined mobility staff and Somerville Fire Assistant Chief Sean Tierney for an interdepartmental…
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