U.S. Legislative Issues

Earlier this year, over 200 individuals attended two public hearings on self-driving cars, held by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). As part of the hearings, agency officials heard testimony from automakers, engineers, consumer watchdogs, and disability advocates on concerns surrounding autonomous vehicles. NHTSA officials said the purpose of the hearings was to use the input to write policy guidance for states, automakers and tech companies about when and how autonomous vehicles should be allowed on U.S. roads.

In a long-anticipated move, NHTSA released a set of guidelines for autonomous vehicles on September 19. The guidelines, which fall short of official regulations, focus on "highly automated vehicles," in which a driver is able to regain control. The guidelines ask car manufacturers to complete a 15-point checklist that covers design, testing procedures and other areas before putting autonomous vehicles up for sale. They also indicate NHTSA’s plan to seek greater authority regarding autonomous system recalls and final approval of new technologies before they hit the road.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an industry group consisting of the top car companies, said its members want to deploy autonomous vehicles as quickly as possible, and federal guidance—as opposed to regulations that are backed by law—is the appropriate path to take.


With funding for the government, including transportation spending, set to expire on October 1, Congress is again scrambling to reach an agreement on a temporary spending package, or Continuing Resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) first effort to advance a stopgap spending measure was blocked on September 27 by Senate Democrats angry that the proposed CR included emergency flood aid, but didn’t address the lead-tainted water crisis in Flint, Michigan. House lawmakers have since agreed to consider authorizing some of that Flint funding in a separate water bill, which could clear the way for a broader stopgap bill if Senate Democrats sign off.

The deal should "help unlock the CR in the Senate, which now I believe will be unstuck," House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) said on September 28. Senate Democrats said they are still evaluating the deal.

Alternatively, there are reports that House Republicans have begun drafting a backup plan for an emergency seven-day spending measure that would give Congress more time for negotiations on a stopgap measure that would last until December. A seven-day stopgap would delay the risk of a shutdown, but it would also impose on lawmakers’ plans to return to the campaign trail.



According to a new study released by Kelley Blue Book, Americans are most comfortable with the vehicles currently on the road today, believing that they are significantly safer than models with a higher level of autonomy. The 2016 Kelley Blue Book Future Autonomous Vehicle Driver Study, released on September 28, also found that consumers are torn between the need for safety and the desire for control, with 51 percent of respondents replying that they prefer to have full control of their vehicle, even if it's not as safe for other drivers, while 49 percent prefer to have a safer roadway for all, even if that means they have less control over their own vehicle.

The report revealed that not all Americans are hesitant about the technological future of their automobiles. Respondents in the pre-driving Gen Z (12-15 years old) age range are ready to get on board with autonomy and consider themselves the most educated about autonomous vehicles. The majority (67 percent) of pre-driving Gen Z respondents believe they will see fully autonomous vehicles in their lifetime. Older Millennials (25-34 years old), who have actual purchasing power today, are not far behind, at 44 percent and 61 percent, respectively.

On the issue of safety, the study found that a majority of Americans (63 percent) believe that roadways would be safer if autonomous vehicles were standard; however, 37 percent think that roadways are safer with vehicles operated by people. In addition, 60 percent of respondents would share their vehicle information for more efficient roadways, while 40 percent prefer to keep their information private.


Earlier this month, leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Mark Rosekind to express lingering safety and security concerns over On-Board Diagnostic (OBD-II) ports within vehicles.  

"In the past several years, information security researchers have discovered and demonstrated increasingly effective – and increasingly frequent – attacks on the internal networks of automobiles through the use of OBD-II ports and the devices that connect to them," the committee leaders wrote. In light of these concerns, the September 12 letter concludes with a request that NHTSA convene an industry-wide effort to develop a plan of action for addressing the risks associated with the OBD-II ports.  

In response, NAFA sent its own letter to NHTSA asking for the opportunity to participate in the industry-wide effort requested by the Committee to develop a plan of action for addressing the risks posed by the OBD-II port in the vehicle.