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Intel Applauds U.S. House Hearing on Self-Driving Cars

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By Marjorie Dickman, Global Director & Associate General Counsel, Automated Driving and IoT Policy


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Today, the U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection convened a much anticipated hearing on “Self-Driving Vehicle Legislation."

Intel appreciates the strong leadership of Subcommittee Chairman Latta (R-OH) and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Walden (R-OR) on autonomous vehicles and the bipartisan interest to make America a world leader in this space.  We applaud the Subcommittee’s work to advance an appropriate public policy framework that will ensure safety and incentivize US innovation, investment and global leadership in this competitive sector.

The 14 self-driving vehicle bills that the Subcommittee unveiled earlier this month – and the focus of today’s hearing – recognize that autonomous vehicles will transform our lives and societies for the better, resulting in fewer accidents, greater mobility, increased productivity and more efficient traffic flow.  They also underscore that autonomous vehicles will spur significant economic activity in the U.S.  As a recent Intel-Strategy Analytics report projects, self-driving vehicles could save 535,000 lives between 2035 and 2045 due to their inherent safety, along with a savings of $234 billion over the same period in costs that would otherwise be caused by collisions.

Accordingly, we strongly support the Subcommittee’s efforts to clarify federal and state roles in the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles in the U.S.  We further support language in the draft bills that would increase the number and duration of vehicles to be exempted for deployment in order to speed consumer access to this potentially life-saving technology.

Similarly, we strongly support the Subcommittee’s efforts to create a federal framework for autonomous vehicle testing by companies like Intel that deliver the incredible compute performance and scalability needed to power the complex set of technologies and artificial intelligence required for these “data centers on wheels.”  And we look forward to continuing to work with Members of the Subcommittee to ensure that all of these policies recognize the important role of the U.S. hardware and software sector in driving autonomous vehicle testing and deployment in America.

We also support the Subcommittee’s efforts to create a USDOT/NHTSA cybersecurity advisory council including “engineers developing the software and hardware deployed in automated driving systems” and to clarify the respective roles of the FTC and NHTSA on these issues; encourage voluntary data sharing while protecting proprietary and confidential information; create a notification process to States of exemptions of highly automated vehicles from the FMVSS; and use the SAE J3016 taxonomy to ensure a common reference standard for levels of vehicle automation.

With the positive direction of this draft federal legislative framework, America can be on a path to lead the world in autonomous vehicle safety and innovation.  We look forward to working with the bipartisan group of Subcommittee Members who have shown interest in developing a national approach to autonomous vehicles, including Reps. Pallone (D-NJ), Schakowsky (D-IL), Matsui (D-CA), Dingell (D-MI), and others, on this important legislation.  Together, we can ensure that self-driving vehicles reach their full life-saving potential, realize maximum societal and economic benefits, and become widely available in the America in a globally competitive manner.
About the Author
Global Director & Managing Counsel, Internet of Things Policy