New bill would ban driverless vehicle testing in Minnesota
Published 7:28 pm Wednesday, March 28, 2018
ST. PAUL — Four state senators want to prevent driverless vehicles from being tested in Minnesota until their developers can prove they’re safe.
Republican Sen. Jim Abeler said the death of a woman who was struck by a self-driving vehicle in Tempe, Arizona last week confirmed his concerns about the technology.
Abeler and three other senators introduced a bill Tuesday that would ban the automated driving tests.
Abeler said he doesn’t expect the legislation to pass this year, but he wants to start the debate.
On Monday, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey suspended Uber’s self-driving vehicle tests because of the fatal crash. The ride-hailing service is also facing new scrutiny in California if it wants to continue to test the technology. Its permit there expired Saturday.