Washington — A House Republican has introduced legislation that would establish a federal framework for autonomous trucking – and allow some vehicles to operate without a human driver or remote operator.
Sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong (R-CA), the AMERICA DRIVES Act (H.R. 4661) would enact a “preemption of state laws requiring a human occupant in an automated driving systems-equipped commercial motor vehicle.” The bill would streamline regulations to establish a centralized system to “provide for the integration of automated driving systems into commercial vehicle operations.”
A press release from Fong’s office notes that 35 states “allow some form of autonomous truck testing or deployment, while others have imposed restrictive or conflicting regulations.” Fong claims this leaves America “hamstrung by a confusing patchwork of state regulations that threaten public safety, innovation, and economic growth.”
Under the act, the Department of Transportation would be required to update by 2027 rules for ADS-equipped vehicles and exempt fully autonomous trucks from human-specific requirements such as hours of service and drug testing. Additionally, trucks with Level 4 or 5 ADS technology would be allowed to operate without a human driver aboard or a remote human driver.
“It’s time to seize the opportunity to chart a safe, innovative path forward for American transportation,” Fong said. “By establishing a federal framework for autonomous trucks and empowering the Department of Transportation to set practical regulations, we can safely scale this emerging technology nationwide.”
Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, backs the bill.
“By embracing the benefits of autonomous trucking, Rep. Fong’s bill will strengthen American supply chains, enhance road safety and keep the United States at the forefront of transportation innovation,” Farrah said in the release.
In contrast, Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said in a separate release that the bill “lacks needed safeguards to the danger and detriment of the traveling public.”
She added: “Currently, there are no safety regulations for automated driving systems, leaving recall authority to the Department of Transportation as the recourse. With [autonomous commercial motor vehicle] weights being up to 80,000 pounds on federal roads, any malfunction or failure of the self-driving systems could lead to catastrophic consequences.”
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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication