The U.S. House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protections recently advanced a bill promoting autonomous vehicle development and testing.
Several amendments were withdrawn from the bill before it was advanced. These addressed cybersecurity, privacy and access in rural areas.
Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH) said those issues would be addressed in the full committee.
The bill is opposed by the National Association of City Transportation Officials, the National League of Cities, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Transportation for America.
“The draft legislation would pre-empt state and local governments from regulating their own streets, crippling the ability of cities and states to ensure safe operations,” the organizations said. “The bill revokes the authority of cities and states to set requirements for vehicle performance or safety equipment, punishing states who demand cleaner air and a better quality of life for their citizens.”
The bill allows autonomous-vehicle companies to self-certify, a move the organizations say puts business interests above safety.
Under the bill, companies would verify their vehicles’ safety without an independent reviewer. This cripples local and state governments from regulating their own streets, the organizations said.
The organizations urged Congress to keep the Advisory Committee on Automated Transportation.