Tennessee SB 151 — Automated Vehicles Act
Tennessee · 2017 Tenn. Pub. Acts Ch. 474; Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-30-101 et seq.
Tennessee's Automated Vehicles Act authorized fully driverless operation on Tennessee roads, set minimum-insurance requirements for AV networks ($5 million coverage), explicitly preempted local AV-specific regulation, and treated the automated driving system as the legal operator for traffic-law purposes.
Technical detail
Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-30-101 et seq. (Automated Driving Systems), added by SB 151 / HB 381, 2017 Pub. Acts Ch. 474.
Who is protected: Tennessee motorists and pedestrians sharing roads with AVs
Who must comply: AV manufacturers, automated-network operators, and owners of automated driving systems
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2017-07-01 |
| Enacted | 2017-05-25 |
| Citation | 2017 Tenn. Pub. Acts Ch. 474; Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-30-101 et seq. |
| Enforced by | Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security; Tennessee Department of Revenue (registration) |
| 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 |
| Last verified | 2026-06-17 |
| Official source | Tennessee General Assembly — SB 151 (110th GA) ↗ |
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- Tennessee SB 1580 (AI can't claim to be a mental health professional) · In effect
- ELVIS Act · In effect
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