A Bill that would allow “driverless delivery vehicles” on Kansas Highways has been rewritten in response to concerns raised by several groups. The new Bill is nearing a vote in a Senate Committee. The original Bill was introduced for Walmart so it could start using driverless delivery trucks to ferry merchandise from distribution centers to its Kansas stores. The Bill was re-written after law enforcement officials and trial lawyers raised concerns. Instead of allowing trucks to be operated remotely from day one, the beefed-up Bill requires human back-up drivers for a yearlong test period. It also establishes a group to study the need for additional regulations. That Panel would disband after a year. But, Kansas Transportation Secretary, Julie Lorenz, is urging lawmakers to maintain it for at least five years. She says with the technology changing so quickly, there’s a lot more to learn as a State and it’s a way to bring all citizens along. A vote on the Bill is expected this week.
