That legislation helped Michigan become an early leader in the race to build a self-driving car, said Mike Kowall, a state senator from Oakland County who sponsored the bills.

But for Michigan to win — especially against the tech giants of Silicon Valley, which are developing their own prototypes — he believes the state also needs to lead by regulation, before a patchwork of rules crops up across state lines.

Kowall, R-White Lake Township, plans to introduce a bill package in the Senate that he said would allow autonomous vehicles on Michigan roads for any reason, not just during testing.