Electronic enthusiasts, take note: On Wednesday, a subcommittee within the U.S. House of Representatives gave the green light to a sweeping proposal that could enable automakers to test up to 100,000 autonomous driving systems without adhering to existing vehicle safety regulations. For self-driving cars being tested, states would be barred from enacting any relevant laws or regulations governing driverless vehicles.
Republican Representative Robert Latta, who heads the Subcommittee on Commerce and Energy, mentioned that the full committee will vote on this proposal next week. He also stated that he would continue to review and possibly make necessary adjustments to the proposal before then.
Should the proposal pass the committee's vote next week, it will then head to the House of Representatives for approval, though not until after September, as the House is currently in recess during the summer months.
This marks the first significant federal regulation in the U.S. aimed at hastening the arrival of autonomous vehicles in the marketplace. If the proposal is approved and becomes law, automakers won't need to apply for permission from government regulators when testing advanced automotive technologies. Instead, they’ll only need to submit a safety assessment report.
The draft proposal released on Monday stipulates that automakers must demonstrate that their autonomous vehicles are "safe and include fail-safe mechanisms." However, when reviewing these safety assessment reports, the Department of Transportation should refrain from imposing additional conditions on the deployment or testing of highly automated vehicles.
The urgency of this issue has grown as road fatalities in the U.S. surged to 35,200 in 2015, marking a 7.7% increase from the previous year. This represents the largest annual rise in road deaths since 1966. Data from the U.S. government shows that traffic fatalities climbed nearly 8% in the first nine months of 2016.
Current federal auto safety laws prohibit automakers from selling self-driving vehicles that don’t require manual control. These automakers must comply with almost 75 vehicle safety standards, many of which assume that the car will be operated by a licensed driver.
Companies like General Motors, Alphabet, Ford, and Tesla have been lobbying Congress, urging the federal government to take the lead in establishing relevant laws and regulations. This is because some states, such as California, might impose restrictions on deploying and testing self-driving cars.
According to the proposal, states could still regulate aspects like registration, licensing, liability, insurance, and safety inspections for self-driving cars. However, they wouldn't be allowed to set performance standards for these vehicles.
Auto dealers hope the final bill will clarify that this move won't conflict with franchise laws in various states, which typically prevent automakers from selling cars directly to consumers.
The Consumer Union stated on Wednesday that the proposal requires further revisions and must ensure that automakers can verify the safety of self-driving cars, avoiding exposing consumers to greater risks in the event of accidents. The organization opposes limiting state regulatory powers without establishing robust federal safety standards.
Last year, the former Obama administration issued voluntary guidelines for self-driving cars, requiring manufacturers to submit a safety assessment report addressing 15 questions. Current Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has mentioned her plans to update the information in the coming months.
In addition to the above, there are concerns about cybersecurity, privacy, and ethical dilemmas surrounding the widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles. As the technology continues to evolve rapidly, stakeholders are calling for comprehensive frameworks that address these issues while balancing innovation with public safety.
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