TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, today welcomed passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of the SELF DRIVE Act (H.R. 3388) as the first major step in developing clear and consistent federal safety standards for self-driving vehicles, also referred to as autonomous vehicles (AV).

The following statement can be attributed to Linda Moore, president and CEO of TechNet, whose membership includes General Motors, Lyft, Uber, Waymo, and other innovative companies developing AV-related technology:

“Self-driving vehicles hold enormous promise to save lives, create jobs, and provide greater mobility and freedom to elderly Americans and persons with disabilities. Innovations in self-driving vehicle technology have led state legislatures and regulators to respond with common-sense safety proposals, but also many unnecessary burdens that are creating a 50-state patchwork of conflicting policies, which threaten progress. As companies continue to make advancements in this technology, the federal government has a proper role to play in developing uniform standards in areas where it makes sense, ensuring that self-driving cars will be safe for the road.

“We applaud the House leadership, as well as Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH) and Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) for spearheading this bipartisan effort to chart the right approach to this issue. We look forward to the introduction of similar legislation in the Senate soon, and ultimately seeing the nation’s first major self-driving vehicle safety law signed by the President during this Congress.”

About TechNet

TechNet is the national, bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives that promotes the growth of the innovation economy by advocating a targeted policy agenda at the federal and 50-state level. TechNet’s diverse membership includes dynamic startups and the most iconic companies on the planet and represents more than 2.5 million employees in the fields of information technology, e-commerce, the sharing and gig economies, advanced energy, biotechnology, venture capital, and finance. TechNet has offices in Washington, D.C., Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Sacramento, Austin, Boston, Olympia, Albany, and Tallahassee.