AV Accessibility Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4419
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-16: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- Last Updated
- 2025-09-11T08:06:40Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Autonomous Vehicle Accessibility Act (H.R. 4419) aims to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to highly automated vehicles by prohibiting states from issuing driver's licenses for these vehicles in discriminatory ways. It also directs a study on improving infrastructure to make ride-hailing services using such vehicles more accessible.
Key Provisions
- Short Title: The bill is titled the "Autonomous Vehicle Accessibility Act" or "AV Accessibility Act."
- Definitions:
- Disability: Defined as in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), meaning a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities.
- Public transportation: As defined in federal transportation law (49 U.S.C. § 5302), referring to local or regional transit services.
- Ride-hail ADS-equipped vehicle: An autonomous vehicle (ADS-equipped) used for paid, pre-arranged rides via apps or platforms, operating without a human driver.
- ADS-equipped vehicle, Level 4, Level 5, driverless operation, and dispatch: Based on standards from SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers) J3016, where Level 4 means the vehicle can operate without human intervention in specific conditions, and Level 5 means full autonomy in all conditions.
- Secretary: The U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
- Licensing Prohibition (Section 3): States cannot issue operator's licenses for Level 4 or 5 autonomous vehicles (ADS-equipped) in ways that discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities, aligning with Title II of the ADA (which requires public entities to provide equal access to services).
- Accessible Infrastructure Study (Section 4): The Secretary of Transportation must partner with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study improvements to public transportation infrastructure. The study focuses on:
- Enhancing how people with disabilities locate, access, and use ride-hail autonomous vehicles, especially during pickup and drop-off.
- Options like technology for managing curbs dynamically (e.g., real-time adjustments), better sidewalk/road designs, dedicated zones, curb extensions, and other designs to enable safe, non-visual access (e.g., for blind individuals).
- Funding (Section 5): Authorizes $5 million for the infrastructure study, available until spent.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Extends ADA Title II protections (originally for public services like transportation) to state licensing of Level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicles, treating discrimination in this context as a violation.
- Introduces federal oversight on state vehicle licensing for emerging autonomous technologies, which previously lacked specific disability-access rules.
- Mandates a new study on infrastructure adaptations, filling a gap in current federal transportation policy for automated vehicles.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Department of Transportation (DOT) will lead the study, potentially influencing future federal guidelines on autonomous vehicle standards. States may need to revise licensing processes to comply with anti-discrimination rules.
- Citizens: People with disabilities could gain better access to driverless ride-hailing services, improving mobility and independence. General users may benefit from infrastructure upgrades that enhance safety and efficiency for all.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though U.S. standards could influence global autonomous vehicle accessibility norms through SAE's international role.
- Broader effects include accelerating inclusive innovation in transportation tech, but implementation may require state-level adjustments and could increase costs for licensing authorities.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- People with Disabilities: Primary beneficiaries, as the bill targets barriers to using autonomous vehicles for transportation.
- State Governments: Responsible for vehicle licensing; must ensure non-discriminatory practices to avoid ADA violations.
- Autonomous Vehicle Companies and Ride-Hail Services (e.g., those using apps like Uber or Lyft for driverless rides): Affected by licensing rules and potential infrastructure changes that could expand their markets to include more disabled users.
- Department of Transportation (DOT): Oversees the study and enforcement, potentially shaping national policy.
- National Academies: Conducts the required infrastructure study.
- Public Infrastructure Planners: Local and federal entities designing roads, curbs, and transit systems.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces the ADA's application to new technologies, potentially leading to lawsuits if states issue discriminatory licenses (e.g., denying access based on disability). It aligns federal civil rights law with autonomous vehicle regulations without overriding state authority entirely.
- Constitutional: Supports equal protection under the 14th Amendment by promoting non-discrimination in public services, but could raise federalism concerns if seen as overreach into state licensing powers.
- Political: Highlights bipartisan interest (introduced by Reps. Stanton and Mast) in accessible tech innovation. It may spur debates on balancing rapid autonomous vehicle deployment with disability rights, influencing future transportation funding and regulations. No major partisan divides are evident in the bill's text.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-16: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- 2025-07-15: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-07-15: Introduced in House
- 2025-07-15: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Autonomous Vehicle Accessibility Act — issued 2025-07-15 — PDF (4 pages)