Congress will try again in 2021 on self-driving car reform

The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

The Center for Auto Safety advocacy group said Latta’s bill “contains no regulatory or testing requirements to improve public confidence in the long-term safety of driverless vehicles.”

By David Shepardson 

September 23, 2020 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress will try again in 2021 to try to approve long-stalled reforms to speed the adoption of self-driving cars, a key Democratic lawmaker said Wednesday. 

U.S. lawmakers have been divided for years over how to reform regulations governing self-driving cars and what consumer and legal protections should be included. 

In 2017, the House of Representatives passed legislation to speed the adoption of self-driving cars and bar states from setting performance standards, but the legislation stalled. 

On Wednesday, Republican Representative Bob Latta reintroduced legislation on self-driving car reforms. “Congress must act to create a national framework that provides developers certainty and a clear path to deployment,” Latta said. 

Automakers are eager to deploy commercial robotaxi fleets without human controls, but none are expected until 2021 at the earliest. 

Representative Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, said Latta’s bill will not be approved this year. She said she agreed “urgent action” is needed and received commitment from key Democratic leaders “that autonomous vehicle legislation will be a priority and that they will work to move it early in the new year through the Energy and Commerce Committee.” 

Read the full story from Reuters.