FL HB 7027 (2016 driverless AV)
Florida HB 7027 — Autonomous Vehicles (Operation Without Human Operator)
Florida · Ch. 2016-181, Laws of Fla.; Fla. Stat. §§ 316.85, 316.86
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- April 4, 2016
- Applies to
- AV manufacturers and operators on Florida public roads
- Enforced by
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Florida became one of the first states to allow fully driverless autonomous vehicles on public roads. HB 7027 removed the prior requirement that a licensed driver be present in the vehicle and built on Florida's 2012 AV testing law, paving the way for the 2019 'driverless deployment' law (HB 311) that explicitly authorizes AVs with no human driver.
Who is protected: Florida motorists and pedestrians sharing roads with driverless AVs
Legal detail
Ch. 2016-181, Laws of Fla. (HB 7027); amended Fla. Stat. §§ 316.85, 316.86. HB 311 (Ch. 2019-101) followed to explicitly authorize AVs to operate without a human present and assigned liability to the automated driving system's owner/operator.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Florida |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | April 4, 2016 |
| Citation | Ch. 2016-181, Laws of Fla.; Fla. Stat. §§ 316.85, 316.86 |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Traffic and motor-vehicle code penalties |
| Topics | government use of AI · consumer protection · automated decision-making |
| Bill text | Florida Senate — HB 7027 (2016) |
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