The self-driving car industry is growing quickly; almost too quickly. It's been tough for the federal government, and local governments throughout the US to draft and pass solid regulations for the industry. So far, things have been handled mostly on a case-by-case basis, with some of the bigger players manually requesting permission to test their tech in various locations.
However, things aren't moving fast enough for Congress, according to The Verge. The outlet says the US' House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee are working together on a bipartisan bill that would introduce comprehensive autonomous car regulations.
For now, the specifics haven't been hammered out, and Congress is looking for input from some of the industry's top companies before moving forward.
These companies are reportedly encouraged to "file feedback" on a wide variety of issues, which include (but are not limited to) cybersecurity, privacy, and self-driving car testing.
Some of the companies likely to send in their thoughts are Waymo, Uber, Tesla, and other leading autonomous vehicle firms. However, Congress has also asked other organizations – safety groups, in particular – for their input as well.
It remains to be seen what Congress' final bill will look like, but with a little luck, it may finally give the self-driving industry a framework to work within – clear and concise rules that can be followed with minimal confusion. We'll update you when (or if) this bill gets an official name and announcement, but for now, this could be good news for the future of transportation.
Image credit: Teslarati