Members of Congress say federal laws are crucial to support common-sense growth of the new technology.
Representatives in the House are working on a national safety regulatory framework for the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles (AV). Tesla has rolled out a few self-driving technologies that assist drivers on the road, which are classified as Level 3 AVs, but companies such as Waymo are testing out driverless taxis, classified as Level 4 AVs, in certain areas. No Level 5, fully driverless technology, has been deployed yet in the U.S.
House committees have been fielding interviews and panels to determine how U.S. law can best support and safeguard the self-driving technology nationwide. The federal legislators are preparing to take action as the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has not yet published national rules for driverless vehicles.
Representative Kevin Mullin of California said that AVs “are here, it’s already happening.“ He continued, “Something like this really is calling out for federal regulation. I mean, we’re talking about interstate operations.”
“This industry is America’s largest manufacturing base supporting tens of millions of jobs across the country and serving as a major driver of exports as global competitors, especially China, seek to dominate the future of automotive innovation,” said Representative Russ Fulcher of Idaho, during a June House Energy and Commerce Trade Subcommittee hearing. “Congress must examine how our regulatory structure can foster rather than hinder American leadership.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For prudence for U.S. legislators as they review and craft legislation for a national AV safety framework.
- For Transportation Secretary Duffy and NHTSA Administrator Morrison as they oversee national road safety guidelines.
Sources: Roll Call, Gov Tech
