US lawmakers struggle to find deal on self-driving cars: Report
self-driving car legislation remains uncertain in Congress as China's aggressive efforts to lead in this technology pose a significant challenge. According to a report by Reuters, the House Energy and Commerce Committee chair, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, voiced concerns about China's ambitions and highlighted the need to safeguard data and individual rights from the Chinese Communist Party's influence.
Both Republicans and some Democrats are eager for swift action to prevent China from overtaking the United States in autonomous vehicle deployment. However, opposition from safety groups, plaintiffs' lawyers, and labor unions has raised apprehensions about the proposed legislation.
Representative Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, stressed the importance of addressing new issues that have arisen in recent years. Existing legislation, over six years old, is no longer sufficient to address emerging liability loopholes and workforce impacts.
Congress's attempts to pass autonomous vehicle legislation have been stalled for years. The proposed measures would grant automakers exemptions to deploy tens of thousands of self-driving vehicles without meeting current auto safety standards.
In the midst of this legislative standstill, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is considering General Motors' Cruise self-driving technology unit's petition to deploy up to 2,500 self-driving vehicles annually without human controls, the maximum allowed under the current law. Advocates of autonomous vehicles argue that they can significantly reduce traffic-related fatalities, increase mobility access for disabled individuals, ease parking congestion in cities, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
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