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Lawmakers led by Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, teed up information of however Congress approaches the aboriginal of autonomous vehicles (AVs) Tuesday, pressing the lawsuit for national information standards that, if successful, volition override budding state-level restrictions connected the processing technology.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee precocious the SELF DRIVE Act successful a 12–11 ballot Tuesday, a portion of authorities that Latta, its sponsor, framed arsenic a mode to capable successful the blanks connected questions of nationalist and rider safety.
"There is presently nary federal framework for autonomous vehicles, adjacent arsenic the exertion continues to beforehand astatine a accelerated pace," Latta said.
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"It is captious that we prioritize safety, transparency and innovation portion keeping up with these developments."
In its existent form, the SELF DRIVE Act would make national information standards that would use to AV manufacturers. Those standards, required by September 2027, would beryllium governed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The measure besides looks to make a azygous acceptable of definitions for what autonomous driving means and amended specify however varying levels of assisted driving acceptable into that picture.
Finally, the measure allows for constricted automated driving investigating successful commercialized vehicles.
The measure comes arsenic companies similar Waymo already person deployed fleets of self-driving cars to cities similar Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco, Austin, Texas, and others.
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In summation to playing catch-up to home innovation, Latta believes a national model for self-driving cars volition assistance acceptable a barroom for however the planetary assemblage approaches self-driving technology.
"By strengthening America’s relation successful processing and regulating the autonomous conveyance information framework, the United States has an accidental to acceptable the planetary modular for AV safety," Latta said.
"Doing truthful volition guarantee innovation continues to thrive present astatine home, support high-quality jobs successful America and reenforce our presumption arsenic a planetary person successful autonomous conveyance improvement and manufacturing, particularly arsenic we vie with China," Latta said.
Other key players successful the self-driving space praised the authorities up of the committee's gathering Tuesday.
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"The SELF DRIVE Act would found a wide nationalist model for the deployment of autonomous vehicles that volition prevention American lives and unlock important maturation successful U.S. manufacturing," Tesla Inc. said successful a connection astir the bill.
"Honda commends Latta’s efforts to beforehand the SELF-DRIVE Act for 2026 to found a azygous nationalist modular for automated conveyance technology," said Jennifer Thomas, elder vice president of firm affairs astatine the Honda Motor Company.
Having cleared consideration successful committee, it’s unclear erstwhile the SELF DRIVE Act whitethorn scope the level for a chamber-wide vote.
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