Two legislators recently espoused the benefits of a reintroduced measure designed to address autonomous vehicles (AVs) federal safety standards and self-driving car initiatives.
Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) offered statements regarding the Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution, or SELF DRIVE, Act.
The legislation, reintroduced by Latta, enhances the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s ability to adapt federal safety standards on AVs and ensures safe development, testing, and deployment of self-driving cars.
“There is a clear global race to AVs, and for the U.S. to win that race, Congress must act to create a national framework that provides developers certainty and a clear path to deployment,” the legislators wrote via a joint statement. “From increasing mobility for seniors and self-sufficiency for those with disabilities to providing contactless deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic, AVs have limitless potential to drastically improve the lives of Americans. We cannot allow the U.S. to be outpaced, and this effort strikes a critical balance of ensuring safe development and deployment of AVs while keeping the U.S. at the forefront.”
Latta initially introduced the SELF DRIVE Act in the 115th Congress. The Energy and Commerce Committee advanced the bill in July 2017 and the House in Sept. 2017.
“We hope this bill can move through the legislative process, because if we don’t write the rules of the road when it comes to AVs, China will,” Walden and Latta concluded.