Autonomous Legislation Heading To U.S. House Vote Next Week

Next Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on a proposal to streamline the deployment of autonomous vehicles across the country.

The bill was passed unanimously by a House panel in July and would enable car manufactures to obtain exemptions from current safety standards for up to 25,000 self-driving vehicles in the first year and 100,000 vehicles in the first three years.

Reuters reports that a number of companies, including GM and Waymo, have been calling for more straightforward national legislation rather than facing the difficulty of dealing with state-by-state laws on autonomous vehicle deployment.

In a statement, House Majority leader Kevin McCarthy said “Self-driving vehicles stand to make our transportation system safer and more efficient. Advancing this technology to road-ready requires government policy that encourages continued testing and development. This formula is the foundation for what makes America the most innovative country in the world.”

If the legislation is passed, automakers will only need to supply regulators with safety assessment reports and wouldn’t need pre-market approval for innovative new technologies.

A key supporter of the new proposals is The Alliance of Automobile Manufactures which represents companies including Ford, FCA, Volkswagen, Toyota and others.

In a statement, the trade group said “Congress can bring a host of benefits to Americans by helping to bring self-driving vehicles to our roads as quickly as possible.”