Late last week, Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that would allow autonomous vehicles to be tested and operated without a backup human driver inside.
In January of this year, "CS/HB 311: Autonomous Vehicles" was first filed; the bill, which would potentially make "Florida the most autonomous vehicles-friendly state in the country," was officially signed by Florida governor Rob DeSantis late last week, allowing self-driving cars to "operate regardless of presence of human operator."
CS/HB 311 paves the way for Florida to continue as a national leader in transportation innovation and technological advancement. Thank you to Sen. @JeffreyBrandes and Rep. @JasonFischerFL for working to make Florida the most autonomous vehicle-friendly state in the country. pic.twitter.com/kqSTgp95cr
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 13, 2019
The bill does specify, however, that a remote human operator who is monitoring the vehicle's activity is required.
According to the governor's staff, this bill eliminates "unnecessary obstacles" that slow the technological advancement of autonomous vehicles and therefore hinder the development of smart cities.
CS/HB 311 also outlines insurance and vehicle functionality requirements to operate said cars as well as lays out the laws regarding autonomous vehicles in a uniform fashion.
The bill will officially go into effect on July 1 of this year.