Senators Preview Self-Driving Legislation
Legislation pertaining to self-driving vehicles would need to prioritize safety, and promote innovation, senators crafting the measure announced ahead of a hearing on the matter.
The bill also would need to be technology neutral and avoid favoring business models, clarify the roles of federal and state regulators, strengthen cybersecurity and encourage the technology’s adoption.
“Working on a bipartisan basis, we continue to make progress in writing what we expect will become the first-ever changes in federal law helping usher in this new transportation era. These principles underscore our commitment to prioritizing safety, fixing outdated rules and clarifying the role of federal and state governments,” Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) said June 13.
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“While these principles are just a start, it’s my hope we’ll find bipartisan consensus on legislation that prioritizes safety and advances the technology,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), the committee’s ranking member.
Thune, Nelson and Michigan Sen. Gary Peters (D) have been stitching together provisions for legislation on self-driving vehicles.
On June 14, the committee will hold a hearing with stakeholders on ways to advance the testing and deployment of the technology. Witnesses include Mitch Bainwol, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, and John Maddox, president and CEO of the American Center for Mobility.
