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Rep. Latta Leads the Charge for Autonomous Vehicle Framework
He Says the Technology’s Safety Gains Justify Federal Action
Key Takeaways:
- Latta has for a decade pushed for a national AV policy rather than a state-by-state regulatory patchwork.
- He points to safety as the driving factor, but warns foreign competitors could gain an advantage in the global AV market.
- A recent report says autonomous trucking generates $3.3 billion in economic output.
WASHINGTON — The odds that Congress will finally establish a national framework for autonomous vehicles may improve this year as lawmakers continue work on major surface transportation legislation.
Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio), a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, is at the forefront of that charge. Latta has pushed for a national AV policy for about a decade, warning that today’s state‑by‑state regulatory patchwork can contribute to a slowdown in development and uncertainty for manufacturers.
“Right now you have 35 states out there [that] are doing their own thing,” he said March 19 at an event hosted by Axios. He stressed that his Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution (SELF DRIVE) Act is designed to clear the way for passenger and commercial AVs to operate under uniform federal rules, and argued that the bill would support vehicles that “are going to be as safe or safer” than current models.
“I think that people are going to find out that … it’s not too bad to have that extra ‘set of eyes,’ ” he said, stressing that the technology’s safety gains justify federal action.
Safety remains the driving factor behind his proposal. Federal crash data routinely points to human error as a leading contributor to roadway fatalities, which hover around 40,000 per year. Latta said autonomous systems could help reduce distracted‑driving incidents, improve mobility for older adults and people with disabilities, and expand the technology’s real‑world safety benefits as it matures.
He also framed the issue in geopolitical terms, noting that without federal standards and manufacturing pathways, foreign competitors could gain an advantage in the global AV market.
Congress has struggled for years to finalize bipartisan AV legislation. The upcoming surface transportation reauthorization — expected to advance through the House as early as this spring — will give lawmakers another opportunity to debate national standards, including provisions related to data privacy and cybersecurity.
While Congress weighs action, the U.S. Department of Transportation continues to review federal vehicle standards meant to accommodate AVs that lack conventional equipment. DOT also recently convened a high-profile forum focused on AV driving technologies.
Commercial AV developers say federal clarity is beneficial for long‑term deployment, even as certain testing continues under state‑level rules. Industry leaders argue autonomous trucks could improve freight efficiency, address workforce pressures and ease supply chain constraints.
Aurora Innovation recently pointed to findings from a Steer Group report estimating that autonomous trucking — still early in deployment — already supports 17,000 jobs and generates $3.3 billion in economic output.
“Self‑driving freight is one of the biggest innovations in the trucking industry in decades,” the report stated, projecting economic impacts through 2035.
Aurora CEO Chris Urmson, speaking to Transport Topics at the Axios event, said federal action would help cement U.S. leadership. “This is a really important technology for the future of logistics,” he said. “It’s something where I think it’s important that America can be a leader.”
