Say what you will about American politics, but the US House of Representatives has passed the “SELF-DRIVE Act” (H.R. 3388) – a bipartisan bill that would open up autonomous vehicle regulation for manufacturers.
The big advantage of the SELF-DRIVE Act is that it would supersede the varying and ad hoc state rules that manufacturers must currently adhere to while developing their autonomous platforms.
The bill would also do away with some safety standards put in place for vehicles with drivers, such as where the steering wheel and foot pedals must be located.
Lastly, the SELF-DRIVE Act would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to research and develop a way of conveying to consumers the level of automation a vehicle possesses.
Having now passed the US House of Representatives, the SELF-DRIVE Act goes to the US Senate, which has been contemplating its own bill on self-driving vehicles.
It is not clear what the next step is for Congress, but with bipartisan support (including that of President Trump), and a growing need to regulate this space in the transportation industry, we can expect some sort of law to manifest itself in the coming months.
Fueling the changing landscape of transportation, it will be interesting to see how this affects the motorcycle industry.
Source: US Congress
