House Approves Self-Driving Car Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, Sept. 6, passed a bill that provides a framework for future federal regulation of autonomous passenger vehicles and prohibits individual states from enacting laws regulating the design, construction or performance of such vehicles.

The Senate is expected to take up the issue of autonomous vehicle regulation later this month.

If enacted, the bill would allow an autonomous vehicle manufacturer to request an exemption from current federal safety standards designed for conventional cars. During the first year, the number of cars qualifying for such exemption per manufacturer would be capped at 25,000 vehicles. But that cap would rise to 100,000 over three years.

Passed on a voice vote in the House, the “Self Drive Act” seeks to accelerate deployment of autonomous vehicles by eliminating a patchwork of state regulations involving such vehicles’ mechanical, hardware and software systems.

“With this legislation, innovation can flourish without the heavy hand of government,” said Bob Latta, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee that crafted the bill.

The bill drew bipartisan support because of the technology's potential to lower traffic accidents and fatalities.

The legislation requires that the U.S. Department of Transportation prepare a plan — within a year of the law’s enactment — to ensure the safety and security of highly automated vehicles. That plan would include new federal safety standards that take into account self-driving cars and light trucks.

The bill also directs the Department of Transportation to require the submission of safety assessment certifications from manufacturers of highly automated vehicles. The department would have two years to finalize rules for these certifications. In the meantime, manufacturers would need to submit safety assessment letters to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Once final, the DOT would evaluate the rules every five years to ensure they’re up to date.

Under the bill, NHTSA must identify any elements that may require new federal standards. These standards might address such subjects as human-machine interface, sensors and cybersecurity.

Additionally, all manufacturers would need to submit written cybersecurity plans detailing company practices for detecting and responding to cyber attacks and unauthorized intrusions.

Within two years of the law's enactment, the Department of Transportation would issue a rule requiring that all self-driving vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds include a rear seat occupant alert system. Also, at that time, the department must complete research into the development of updated safety standards for motor vehicle headlights. 

 

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