TX SB 2205 (2017 AV statute)
Texas SB 2205 — Automated Motor Vehicles
Texas · Tex. Transp. Code §§ 545.451–545.456
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- September 1, 2017
- Applies to
- Owners and operators of automated driving systems on Texas public roads
- Enforced by
- Texas Department of Motor Vehicles; Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas's main autonomous-vehicle law explicitly authorizes AVs to operate on Texas roads without a human driver, defines the 'owner' of an automated driving system as the legal operator for liability and traffic enforcement, and preempts local AV bans. It set the framework that later allowed Waymo, Cruise, and Aurora freight to operate in Texas.
Who is protected: Texas motorists and pedestrians sharing roads with AVs
Legal detail
Tex. Transp. Code Ch. 545, Subch. J (Automated Motor Vehicles), added by SB 2205, 85th Leg., R.S. (2017); preempts local AV-specific regulation; assigns rule-of-the-road compliance to the ADS.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Texas |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | June 15, 2017 |
| Citation | Tex. Transp. Code §§ 545.451–545.456 |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Traffic and motor-vehicle code penalties; civil liability under common law |
| Topics | government use of AI · consumer protection · automated decision-making |
| Bill text | Texas Legislature Online — SB 2205 (85R, 2017) |
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Related government use of AI rules elsewhere
- CA EO N-6-26 (AI Workforce) · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Arkansas public entity AI/ADS policy mandate (Act 848, 2025) · In effect
- Inver Grove Heights MN data center moratorium amended under lawsuit (2026) · In effect
- FERC order directing PJM and other grid operators to reform tariffs on… · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- San Marcos citywide data center ban (Land Use Matrix amendment) · In effect
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