H.R. 8692
SAM Act of 2026
Sponsor: Kevin Kiley · 0 cosponsors
Official summary
No official summary yet.
Text of the bill
(a) Bus testing facilities. Section 5318 of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a) to read as follows:
(a) Facilities
(1) In general
(A) Bus models. The Secretary shall maintain one facility for testing new bus models (other than a new bus model that is a covered shared mobility vehicle) for maintainability, reliability, safety, performance (including braking performance), structural integrity, fuel economy, emissions, and noise.
(B) Covered shared mobility vehicles. Not later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary shall establish and maintain not fewer than one facility for testing new covered shared mobility vehicles for maintainability, reliability, safety, performance (including braking performance), structural integrity, fuel economy, emissions, and noise.
(2) Location. The Secretary shall ensure that each facility established under paragraph (1)(B) be at a facility at which, as of the date of establishment, substantial road-based (including track-based) validation testing of vehicles equipped with automated driving systems occurs.
(2) in subsection (b) by striking maintain the facility and insert maintain each facility under subsection (a)(1);
(3) in subsection (c)—
(A) by striking The person and inserting Each person; and
(B) by striking maintaining the facility and inserting maintaining a facility under subsection (a)(1);
(4) in subsection (d) by striking the operator of the facility and inserting each operator of a facility under subsection (a)(1); and
(5) in subsection (f) by striking new bus models and inserting new bus models (other than a new bus model that is a covered shared mobility vehicle) or new covered shared mobility vehicles, as applicable.
(b) Timing of testing. Section 5318(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) in subparagraph (A)—
(i) by striking a bus of that model has and inserting prior to delivery and acceptance of the new bus model, a bus of such model has; and
(ii) by striking subsection (a) and inserting subsection (a)(1); and
(B) in subparagraph (B)(i) by striking by the Secretary by rule and inserting by the Secretary in the final rule maintained under paragraph (2) such that the new bus model has received a passing aggregate score from the bus model scoring system under such final rule; and
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
(2) Bus test pass/fail standard. The Secretary shall maintain a final rule that—
(A) includes a bus model scoring system that results in a weighted, aggregate score that uses the testing categories described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(1) and accounts for the relative importance of each such testing category; and
(B) establishes a pass/fail standard that uses the aggregate score described in the subparagraph (A).
(3) Collaboration. In developing a bus model scoring system under paragraph (2)(A), the Secretary shall work with each bus testing facility under subsection (a)(1), bus manufacturers, and transit agencies.
(4) Non-warranty. An aggregate test score issued for a new bus model pursuant to the final rule maintained pursuant to paragraph (2) is for use indicating only whether the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available under this chapter may be obligated or expended to acquire the new bus model and shall not be interpreted as a warranty or guarantee that the new bus model will meet any specific requirements of a purchaser.
(c) Regulations. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a final rule, or modify an existing final rule, to comply with section 5318(e)(2) of title 49, United States Code, as amended by this section and include in the final rule any modifications necessary to enable timely testing of covered shared mobility vehicles under section 5318(a)(1) of such title.