The time for a unified federal approach to autonomous vehicles (AVs) is now. During recent hearings on automobile safety in the House and Senate, the importance of a national safety and regulatory framework for AVs took center stage. As TechNet, along with a broad coalition of industry and accessibility advocates, recently highlighted to Congress, a strong federal AV framework is imperative for American leadership.
Autonomous vehicles are no longer a project for the future — they are a present-day reality improving mobility across the country. To date, AVs have driven more than 145 million autonomous miles on U.S. public roads. From hauling freight across Texas to assisting with transit access in Midwestern rural communities, we can already see the real-world benefits.
One of the most significant hurdles to American innovation is the current fragmented 50-state system. A strong federal policy framework, as proposed in the discussion draft of the SELF DRIVE Act, will allow U.S. companies to compete and win the global AV race by providing uniform rules of the road. First, the legislation establishes timelines for key rulemakings related to testing and evaluation. Second, it establishes cybersecurity requirements to mitigate risks to AVs from outside threats. Third, the proposal requires the government to modernize federal motor vehicle safety standards to establish safety requirements specific to AVs.
TechNet is actively engaging to refine the language of the SELF DRIVE Act and is encouraging Congress to advance a federal AV framework this year.
The opportunity to reimagine how Americans move is before us. With a strong federal regulatory and safety framework, we can ensure that the United States remains the global leader in this transformative field.