On March 4, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko submitted a letter of information to the Judicial Proceedings Committee on SB 909 – Vehicle Laws – Fully Autonomous Vehicles.
This bill would establish a framework to allow fully autonomous vehicles to operate in Maryland. As Maryland policymakers explore a framework for fully autonomous vehicles, counties are highlighting the practical realities of implementing this emerging technology on local roads.
As counties maintain the majority of Maryland’s road network—including the neighborhood streets and rural routes residents use every day—any statewide approach to autonomous vehicles will inevitably intersect with local infrastructure, public safety operations, and maintenance responsibilities.
In this letter of information, MACo offered several considerations to ensure that any new framework accounts for the varied conditions of county roads, supports emergency response readiness, and preserves the coordination tools local governments need to keep residents safe.
As autonomous vehicle (AVs) use expands, counties will feel the impacts first because AV safety and performance depend on local infrastructure and day-to-day operations—from lane markings and signage to work zones, intersections, curbside activity, and incident response. Even if state rules govern vehicle technology, many of the practical costs and implementation challenges will fall to counties.
SB 909’s cross-file, HB 1295, was heard in the Environment and Transportation Committee on March 5. Dominic Butchko submitted a letter of information on this bill.
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