COLUMBUS — Governor John Kasich is opening all of Ohio’s public roads to smart vehicle testing.
Kasich signed an executive order Wednesday authorizing autonomous vehicle research to take place across the state. The order also lays out safety parameters for such projects and creates a voluntary pilot program linking local governments to participating companies.
“Just as the Wright Brothers did at Huffman Prairie, our great state stands ready to once again launch a new era in transportation,” said Kasich, referring to the location near Dayton where Orviller and Wilbur Wright mastered the principles of controlled, powered flight following their initial flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., and developed the world’s first practical airplane.
“We have the diversity in weather and terrain that are essential to advancing these new technologies,” he said.
The order extends Kasich’s efforts to make Ohio a hub of smart vehicle research and development. It urges participating projects to sign up with DriveOhio. That’s a new state office he created in January to coordinate several state offices through a “one-stop shop” for autonomous or connected vehicle developers.
The order requires participating vehicles to meet certain safety requirements and to be capable to comply with all Ohio traffic laws. It reserves Kasich’s right to suspend non-compliant projects.
Each car must have a designated operator who is an employee of the company performing the tests and who will be required to monitor the vehicle at all times and report any accidents.
The order also creates a voluntary Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Program to assist local governments in working with automotive and technology companies to advance technologies in their communities.
Current initiatives already underway in Ohio include four smart road projects covering 164 miles of roadway, including a stretch of US 33 between Dublin and Marysville, as well as a smart city project in Columbus.