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NATIONAL HEADLINES

U.S. House Panel Approves Broad

Proposal on Self-Driving Cars

BY DAVID SHEPARDSON
A U.S. House panel on Wednesday ap-
proved a sweeping proposal by voice vote to
allow automakers to deploy up to 100,000
self-driving vehicles without meeting ex-
isting auto safety standards and bar states
from imposing driverless car rules.
Representative Robert Latta, a Republi-
can who heads the Energy and Commerce
Committee subcommittee overseeing con-
sumer protection, said he would continue to
consider changes before the full committee
votes on the measure, which is expected next
week. The full U.S. House of Representatives
will not take up the bill until it reconvenes in
September after the summer recess.

The measure, which would be the first
significant federal legislation aimed at General Motors, Alphabet Inc., Ford Mo- full committee takes it up, including poten-
speeding self-driving vehicles to market, tor Co., Tesla Inc. and others have been tially adding other auto safety measures.
would require automakers to submit safety lobbying Congress to pre-empt rules un-
assessment reports to U.S. regulators, but der consideration in California and other The Alliance of Automobile Manufactur-
would not require pre-market approval of states that could limit self-driving vehicle ers, a trade group, said it is "pleased that the
advanced vehicle technologies. deployment. legislation is moving forward, and expect to
see areas fine-tuned in the legislation."
Automakers would have to show self-driv- States could still set rules on registration,
ing cars "function as intended and contain licensing, liability, insurance and safety in- Consumers Union, a public advocacy
fail safe features" to get exemptions from spections, but could not set self-driving car group, said the bill needs more changes and
safety standards but the Transportation De- performance standards, under the proposal. must "ensure that automakers demonstrate
partment could not "condition deployment automated vehicles' safety and don't put
or testing of highly automated vehicles on California state assemblyman Freddie consumers at greater risk in a crash." The
review of safety assessment certifications," Rodriguez questioned "why Washington group opposes "restricting states' safety au-
the draft measure unveiled late Monday said. would want us here in the states to not look thority without strong federal safety stan-
at the safety standards – it should be up to dards in place."
The issue has taken new urgency because every state."
road deaths in the United States rose 7.7 The administration of former President
percent in 2015 over the previous year to Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said the bill
35,200, the highest annual jump since 1966. creates a "strong but flexible regulatory Barack Obama last year unveiled voluntary
Traffic deaths climbed nearly 8 percent in framework" that seeks to avoid "a patch- guidelines on self-driving cars that asked
the first nine months of 2016, government work" of different state rules. automakers to submit a 15-question safe-
data showed. ty assessment. President Donald Trump's
Auto dealers want the final bill to clarify transportation secretary, Elaine Chao, said
Current federal motor vehicle safety rules that the measure would not preempt state she plans to update those in the coming
prevent the sale of self-driving vehicles dealer franchise laws that generally bar au- months.
without human controls. Automakers must tomakers from selling vehicles directly to
meet nearly 75 auto safety standards, many consumers. Separately, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., who is
of which were written with the assumption working with Democrats, said Wednesday
that a licensed driver will be in control of Democrats praised the bipartisan proposal he hopes to release a draft self-driving car
the vehicle. but said they want more changes before the reform bill before the end of July. n
52 | GIADA Independent Auto Dealer AUGUST 2017