Driverless Car Bill Passes the U.S. House of Representatives

The “Self Drive Act” was unanimously approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee in July, before Congress left for August recess, and passed the full House on a voice vote in September. The bill creates a national framework for the development and testing of driverless cars. Until now, each individual state has dealt with automakers which want to develop and test cars in their area. The new bill allows automakers to acquire permits for up to 25,000 vehicles without meeting existing auto safety standards in the first year rising possibly to 100,000 cars per year later. Technically it is being called a “bill” and is not yet law, but it forms the basis for a law on driverless vehicles. Representative Doris Matsui says the bill puts the US “on a path towards innovation which, up until recently, seemed unimaginable”.