Chair and Members of the Committee: I respectfully oppose HB 1124 as introduced because it risks foreclosing near-term, practical innovations that improve public transit access, especially first-mile/last-mile connections for people who cannot easily reach bus and rail service. 1) HB 1124 effectively bans driverless first-mile/last-mile shuttles on public roads. The bill requires a “human operator… physically present in the autonomous vehicle” who can monitor, intervene, and take control, including stopping the vehicle. That requirement may be workable for long-haul services, but it defeats the core value proposition of automated shuttles designed for short, low-speed, geofenced trips. It would prevent public agencies and partners from deploying driverless, ADA-supportive neighborhood circulators, station connectors, and campus-to-transit shuttles. 2) First-mile/last-mile is an accessibility and equity issue, not a novelty. Many riders, especially older adults, people with disabilities, and those without access to a car, face barriers reaching fixed-route transit. Automated shuttles can provide reliable, low-speed connections where sidewalks are incomplete, hills are steep, or crossings are challenging. Blocking these deployments risks worsening access gaps rather than improving them. 3) The bill’s one-size-fits-all approach could raise costs and reduce service. Requiring an in-vehicle human operator for every automated shuttle trip adds recurring labor costs and undermines the affordability of short-distance operations. For transit agencies already facing constrained budgets, this would force a trade-off: either abandon innovative connector service or cut existing routes/frequency to pay for staffing. That is the opposite of what Virginia should encourage. 4) Virginia should regulate for safety without prohibiting innovation. Safety is paramount, and autonomous operations should meet all applicable federal vehicle safety requirements and robust state safety standards. But HB 1124 goes further by embedding an in-vehicle operator mandate that eliminates the option of driverless, low-speed, geofenced deployments—even where those deployments may be appropriate and well-regulated. 5) Recommended path forward. Rather than an outright in-vehicle operator requirement, Virginia should: Allow limited, well-defined first-mile/last-mile deployments (e.g., low-speed, geofenced routes, defined ODD, strong remote monitoring and incident response). Require transparent safety plans, data reporting, and coordination with local governments and transit agencies. Provide an approval/permit framework for pilot programs with clear performance and safety benchmarks. Request: Please oppose HB 1124 as introduced, or amend it to explicitly preserve the ability of transit agencies and local partners to implement driverless first-mile/last-mile shuttle solutions under a rigorous safety and oversight framework. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Please find my written comments urging caution when considering this far-reaching legislation that would effectively ban the commercial use of fully autonomous vehicles.

See attachment.

As a blind No.VA resident, I am strongly against driverless vehicles coming into our state without important liability and insurance considerations first being worked out.

On behalf of Chamber of Progress, a tech industry association supporting public policies to build a society in which all people benefit from technological advances, I respectfully urge you to oppose HB 1124, which would require a human operator to be physically present in all commercial autonomous vehicle operations, undermining innovation and delaying proven safety benefits.

My name is Mike Godino. I reside at 301 Claybrook Drive in Waynesboro, VA 22980. here in the valley, we have very limited transportation and I am legally blind; therefore, I need and will access all options available to get from here to there. I oppose HR1125 as my inability to read the DMV eye chart prevents me from acquiring a driver's license in the state of Virginia. HR1125 requires the passenger has a driver's license. this requirement would disenfranchise my consideration to travel independently. forcing me to travel with a licensed driver. This requirement is as futile as not having a vehicle here in the valley thus leaving me without a reliable ride. I do however support HR1124 for the simple fact it would offer me more options of getting around. Since losing my vision in 1992, I have learned to trust technology and the benefits it can provide. Please pass HR1124 offering people who are blind more transportation options. Thank you, Mike Godino 540-471-8116

Please accept the attached testimony on behalf of the R Street Institute in opposition to HB1124.