WASHINGTON – Clear rules of the road for self-driving cars at the state and federal levels will enhance the safe and innovative testing and development of this technology, according to a new study by the Governors Highway Safety Association. In discussing states’ responsibilities, the report makes clear, “…states should not attempt to regulate [Automated Driving System] vehicle and software design and performance, and indeed they lack the resources and technical expertise to do so even if they wanted to. That’s NHTSA’s role. In particular, states cannot and should not attempt to guarantee that each ADS on the road is performing satisfactorily.”
The House-passed SELF DRIVE Act defines state and federal roles consistent with today’s regulatory structure, where the federal government regulates the design, construction, and performance, and states will regulate traffic laws, law enforcement, licensing and registration, driver education, and more.
This bipartisan legislation puts in place the nation’s first federal safety framework for self-driving cars, which would require manufacturers to prove before deployment that a self-driving vehicle is as safe or safer than traditional cars. To ensure safety, the bill directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to make this determination based on detailed analysis of required, publically-available test data and safety assessments certifications. This heightened transparency creates an environment where innovation can thrive with the appropriate and aggressive oversight to ensure it is being done safely.
Far from excluding states from keeping their citizens safe, these clearly defined roles ensure everybody on the road is abiding by the same framework across state lines. Otherwise, there is a real risk of states developing a patchwork of laws, causing increased uncertainty for drivers and innovators.
Last year, the SELF DRIVE Act was approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously and passed the House by voice vote. Now, the Senate must act on self-driving vehicle legislation to ensure Americans do not miss out on this critical safety innovation.
Click here for a Myth vs. Fact dispelling the biggest misconceptions about the SELF DRIVE Act.
Click here for more resources on the bipartisan legislation.