The House passed a bipartisan driverless car bill, the “Self Drive Act,” on Wednesday, advancing what could become the first set of federal laws for the emerging industry.
The bill would pre-empt states from implementing certain laws governing the new technology. It would also allow car manufacturers to deploy up to 100,000 self-driving cars a year that don’t meet normal safety standards. In the first year, however, that number will be capped at 25,000.
States will still be responsible for vehicle registration, insurance, driver education, law enforcement and other local issues. Manufacturers will be required to include cybersecurity and privacy protections in their vehicles. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be in charge of regulating the industry’s traffic safety standards.