Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Update: Subcommittee Approves Self-Driving Cars Legislation

Rep. Ryan Costello
Jul 22, 2017 · 2 min read

This week, the Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection (DCCP) held a markup on legislation regarding self-driving cars. The markup follows several bipartisan hearings, and you can read more of my perspective on this topic so far by clicking here and here. The Subcommittee’s work on self-driving cars has focused on innovation, federal and state oversight, as well as:

  • Safety: Given that nationwide, 94 percent of traffic fatalities can be contributed to human error, self-driving cars could play a key role in helping reduce the number of crashes and fatalities. With over 127,000 vehicular crashes in Pennsylvania in 2015, advances in vehicle automation and innovation are crucial to improving safety on our roadways. We want to make sure self-driving cars are safe, too. This draft legislation would require manufactures to provide safety certifications and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to create a safety plan for self-driving cars. Additionally, cybersecurity safety measures would also be required by manufacturers.
  • Development: The draft legislation would create advisory subcommittees under NHTSA to examine sharing certain testing information to aid in better development of self-driving cars, as well as study their impact on the environment and the workforce.
  • Mobility: Self-driving cars have the ability to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities, and this legislation would create a subcommittee within NHTSA to understand how self-driving cars can improve their mobility and increase quality of life.

The next step in the committee’s legislative process will be for the full Energy and Commerce Committee to consider this legislation, and I will keep you updated. To read more on this bill, click here and you can also read the draft legislative text.

Rep. Ryan Costello

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