WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation released “Preparing for the Future of Transportation, Automated Vehicles 3.0 (AV 3.0)."
“We applaud DOT’s continued commitment to getting safe and innovative self-driving cars on America’s roadways, and share in the urgency for a unified safety framework across state lines. The U.S. is at a critical point in the development of this life-saving technology, and if we can’t get policy on the books, we stand to lose jobs, investment, and innovation to other countries. Today’s updated federal guidance demonstrates America is ready to lead the world in the development of self-driving cars, and we look forward to working with DOT and our Senate colleagues to ensure the momentum continues."
Background:
Last year, the committee-led SELF DRIVE Act, the first federal framework for the development and deployment of self-driving cars, passed the House by voice vote. The legislation would:
* Require the submission of safety assessment certifications by manufacturers of self-driving cars, which provides greater transparency for disclosures for the public.
* Improve the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) access to safety data for future updates and developments of safety standards.
* Strengthen NHTSA’s ability to update 1970s era regulations which do not contemplate the features and functions of a self-driving car.
* Maintains NHTSA’s broad recall authority to remove unsafe cars from our roadways, as well as impose civil and criminal penalties it deems appropriate.
* Clarifies the state and federal roles with respect to self-driving cars. States will continue to perform their traditional role in regulating vehicle registration, licensing, driving education and training, insurance, law enforcement, crash investigations, safety and emissions inspections, congestion management, and traffic laws. NHTSA will continue to be the sole agency responsible for safety by regulating the design, construction, and performance of self-driving cars to avoid requirements that would prohibit or limit interstate commerce and travel.
