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Senate committee advances bill to update rules for personal delivery robots
Summary
The Transportation and Safety Committee adopted an amendment and passed SB 1625 to modernize Tennessee's personal delivery device law, allowing certain devices to operate in bike lanes and at higher speeds while preserving local control and safety restrictions.
Chairlady Massey, Chairlady of the Tennessee Senate Transportation and Safety Committee, moved SB 1625 forward after the committee adopted an amendment clarifying local authority and safety limits.
Brent Westcott, director of policy development at DoorDash, told the committee that the company's delivery robot Dot operates with human monitoring and “has safely traveled hundreds of thousands of real world miles.” He said the bill updates Tennessee’s 2020 PDD law to allow slightly faster devices to use bike lanes and the side of the road and to operate up to 20 miles per hour off sidewalks, while retaining local governments’ ability to prohibit or regulate devices within a state framework.
The amendment discussed by members clarifies where and how devices can operate, confirms local governments may ban or restrict devices in particular areas, and bars travel on interstate highways. During questions, Westcott said DoorDash has had “no safety critical incidents” in other states but acknowledged minor incidents such as hitting curbs.
The committee adopted the amendment by voice vote and then took a roll call on the bill. The clerk recorded Senators Bailey, Briggs, Campbell, Hatcher, Potee, Seale, Taylor and Chairlady Massey voting aye (nine ayes reported). The bill passed and will go on the calendar for further consideration.
The bill’s next procedural step is placement on the Senate calendar; committee members emphasized local control and safety guardrails in their remarks.
