NJ S1677: Establishes autonomous vehicle pilot program.

In one paragraph

New Jersey's S1677 would have the Department of Transportation, with the Motor Vehicle Commission, establish a three-year pilot program allowing authorized testers to operate fully autonomous vehicles, overseen by a nine-member task force, with crash reporting and safety requirements. Introduced January 13, 2026 and referred to the Senate Transportation Committee, which reported it as a committee substitute on May 11, 2026; then referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations. Identical to Assembly bill A3968. It has not passed either house.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

None yet: the bill has not been enacted. If enacted, autonomous vehicle testers would need Department authorization, insurance and crash reporting; dealers would face disclosure rules.

Key provisions

1. 1Would require the Department of Transportation, with the Motor Vehicle Commission, to set up a three-year pilot letting authorized testers operate fully autonomous vehicles, including in closed and open-road testbeds
2. 2Testers would have to apply to the Department (fee set by the Department) with a law enforcement interaction plan, register each vehicle with the Motor Vehicle Commission and show at least $5,000,000 in liability insurance, self-insurance or surety bond; vehicles requiring a commercial driver license are excluded
3. 3A nine-member task force appointed by the Department would oversee the pilot; operating without a human driver would require the manufacturer to show 50,000 miles of testing in the operational design domain and 50,000 miles on New Jersey public roads with a human driver without an at-fault major incident
4. 4When engaged, the automated driving system would be treated as the driver and as licensed; with no human driver, the tester would be liable for property damage, traffic violations and crash injuries or deaths caused by improper operation
5. 5Testers would have to report to the Department within 5 calendar days any crash on a public road in the State with the automated driving system engaged that caused a death, hospital transport, airbag deployment or pedestrian impact (civil penalty per violation per day for failure); the Commissioner could suspend, revoke or restrict an authorization for a public-safety risk
6. 6Vehicles could not operate in school zones, construction zones or high pedestrian-collision areas; the Department would have to report to the Governor and Legislature within 6 months after the pilot ends
7. 7Would add disclosure and marketing rules for partially automated driving systems, enforceable under the Consumer Fraud Act; state law would exclusively govern AVs and bar local AV-specific rules
8. 8If enacted it takes effect immediately and expires when the Department submits its final pilot report

Latest legislative action

May 11, 2026. Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

Sponsors (showing 5 of 14)

Related and companion bills

• New Jersey S4702Establishes autonomous vehicle pilot program.
• New Jersey A3968Establishes autonomous vehicle pilot program.
• New Jersey A5919Establishes autonomous vehicle pilot program.