The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee (established 1795) in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee. The Energy and Commerce Committee is at the forefront of all issues and policies powering America’s economy, including our global competitive edge in energy, technology, and health care. The committee is led by E&C Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and E&C Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ).

E&C Website: https://energycommerce.house.gov
E&C Twitter: https://twitter.com/HouseCommerce
E&C Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/energyandcommerce/
E&C Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/energyandcommerce/

I ask unanimous consent that the members of the full committee waving on to this subcommittee today be able to participate.

The chair recognizes himself for 5 minutes for an opening statement.

Again, good morning, everyone, and welcome to today's legislative hearing on self-driving vehicles, also known as autonomous vehicles, or AVs.

The work we do in this subcommittee is foundational to America's economic future and national security.

It is essential we secure a country's leadership in emerging technologies to transform Americans' lives.

When the subcommittee began working on AVs under Republican leadership over 6 years ago, I don't believe anyone thought it would be back to square 1 today in 2023.

But here we are, reexamining similar legislation that had previously passed the House unanimously.

And the many members of this committee on both sides co-sponsored.

It is sad and unfortunate that we haven't been able to do anything in this space, given all we can benefit from this technology and we know our adversaries aren't waiting.

This hearing serves as an opportunity to level set and discuss why it's dire for us to move legislation forward and not give in to ancillary demands from those who wish to keep the US in the 20th century.

By NHTSA 2022 estimates, 42, 795 Americans lost their lives in crashes, unfortunately.

And for the first 3 months of this year, approximately 9, 330 lives were lost.

It is clear the status quo is unacceptable.

This technology can help roll back the sad fatality statistics, solving the issues of human limitation, impairments, and inattentiveness.

We are also in a race against the clock with China.

While the United States has failed to advance a national framework that expands testing and deployment, China has unveiled a national strategy to boost testing and deployment throughout their country.

Any more inaction from Congress will result in the Chinese defining and owning the technology and its supply chain.

Enacting a national regulatory framework without top-down taxpayer subsidies is the true path to securing the future of our AV economy.

I'm pleased that the first hearing of this year focused our competitiveness with China, with Jeff Farrar from the newly formed Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association testified on the need to get this done this year.

As he laid the case out clearly, America must not lose our edge and cede this life-saving and transformational technology to those who don't hold our values.

It's also important to think about who this technology will benefit.

Many of us take for granted our ability to drive a car, either to our jobs, to visit friends or family, or run errands.

But millions of Americans don't have that luxury.

In fact, today marks the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act, and that was passed in a bipartisan Senate.

So Just as that law made sure to protect people living with disabilities from discrimination, we can draw parallels to the bills we're discussing today.

Lada again for including language I championed in this discussion draft to ensure people living with disabilities cannot be discriminated against from receiving a license to access this technology.

And for ensuring that manufacturers keep in mind how to design their vehicles so that all people can use them regardless of their disability.

Of course, these vehicles must be affordable.

Studies have shown how impactful AVs will be for transportation and mobility, especially for people living with disabilities.

And we should certainly not be dictating who can and cannot access them.

Riccobono, I want to thank you for testifying today and sharing how much this will transform the lives of people living with disabilities.

AVs hold so much promise for everyone in this country, in my opinion.

So let's make sure this promise ends up a reality for everyone and not just a proportion of the U.S.

Lada again for his tireless work, his persistence to work to make America the home of manufacturing, the vehicles of the future, and for Mr.

Wahlberg's efforts to ensure that Chinese auto companies don't take advantage of our openness, just as their tech companies have.

I want to thank the panel for testifying today, and I yield back.

The chair recognizes the ranking member, Ms.

Schakowsky, my friend, for 5 amendments for her opening statement.

Thank you for the witnesses that are here today.

And thank you for the good turnout at this hearing.

I know there is a lot of interest in autonomous vehicles.

And they do hold a great deal of promise, particularly when it comes to issues of safety.

As you heard from the Chairman, we're looking at over 40, 000 people who are losing their lives on the highways, and we are hoping that it will reduce.

And he also talked at length, which I totally agree on, the issue of accessibility to make sure that all Americans are able to move around in the ways that they want and need to do in ways that they have not been able to do before.

But at the same time, we know that there are a number of unanswered questions that we're going to have to answer before we are able to totally move forward.

I'm not saying that we should slow down, but we certainly want to answer the questions.

For example, we have heard reports of AVs that are disrupting emergency services, that are snarling traffic, and obstructing public transit.

We have certainly heard, have concerns about workforce issues.

I continue to hear from workers that are making their living driving right now.

We are looking at about 4 million Americans who do make a living driving professionally.

We have to make sure that we consider that huge change and Americans should have their, and finally, the third thing that I wanted to raise as an issue is that Americans should have the same right to seek justice in the courts when they are dealing with autonomous vehicles, if they are harmed as they are with current vehicles right now.

And all of these are open questions right now that we are absolutely going to have to deal with.

I know that a lot of work has been done for many years on this.

But I think these important issues of safety, of workforce, of access of consumers to justice are still not entirely resolved.

I want to say a special Thank you to leaders, including on our side of the aisle, Debbie Dingell, who really has been working for so many years to come up with legislation.

But I want to make it clear that I look forward to working in a bipartisan way to getting this done.

I know there is a lot of urgency about getting it done, but let's do it right.

We can make our roads safer, our consumers more flexible in their travel options, make sure that consumers are protected.

I know that we can get this done in this wonderful subcommittee and beyond.

I thank the Ranking Member and now yield to the Chairman of the full committee my good friend Mrs.

Rogers for her 5 minutes of opening statement.

Chairman, Ranking Member I too want to say thank you to all the members who have been a part of bringing us to this place, Mr.

I'm excited about what autonomous vehicles, self-driving cars are going to mean to so many Americans.

And like most 16-year-olds in America, he's really excited about getting a driver's license.

Now, mom and dad aren't quite as confident here yet.

But I think about Cole, I think about others living with a disability, and what self-driving cars will mean to providing amazing mobility options, transforming their lives.

It has the potential, self-driving vehicles have the potential to break down transportation barriers, unleash more opportunities, more freedom, more independence.

It will mean safe, reliable ways to get to work, go to the doctor, get education, and so much more.

Self-driving cars have the potential to reduce death and injuries on our roads.

Tens of thousands of Americans that are killed every year on our roads, many due to human error and impaired driving.

It will help ensure our transportation future isn't reliant upon supply chains from our adversaries and prevent China from controlling the AI and machine learning technologies and insights gained from this technology.

Is currently at risk of ceding leadership to China.

China's currently moving forward with ambitious plans to lead development and deployment of this technology.

We all know that we cannot trust the Chinese Communist Party to set standards for this industry, and we certainly cannot trust them to protect our data and our individual rights.

These standards and a regulatory framework must be led by the United States of America.

So last Congress, the committee Republicans wrote to Secretary Buttigieg raising concerns about U.S.

Approval for Huawei to buy our semiconductor technology for its growing auto business.

And sadly, 2 years later, we have not received a response.

And the National Highway Safety, Traffic Safety Administration declined our request today to testify, despite weeks of notice.

China's ambitions in this industry present a critical economic and national security threat to our country, especially when you consider 7 Chinese car manufacturing, car companies testing on our roads today, at least 7, testing their self-drive technology, technology that includes video cameras on every car it produces.

Wahlberg for the language that he's contributed as a part of this discussion draft today that reigns in Chinese company testing on our roads.

This important technology cannot be overstated.

The journey alone to deploying self-driving vehicles is going to deliver many benefits, some we haven't even thought of.

The goal today is to make sure that America continues to lead in the auto sector for the next 100 years and beyond.

I am pleased to yield the remainder of my time to the leadership of Mr.

Well, I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

I also thank the chairman for allowing me to wave on today.

American automotive leadership is vital for the future of our national security, and autonomous vehicles aren't just the future, they are the present.

And the harsh reality is the United States is already falling behind the global stage.

Communist China poses an immediate threat to our national security through the use of the driverless cars within our very borders.

As the chair of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I am all too familiar with our ongoing efforts to rip and replace communist Chinese technology from our communications infrastructure.

If we do not ensure our laws support innovation, the United States will be forced to consider how to secure our roadways after Communist China has already collected massive amounts of data on our transportation systems.

We have the privilege on the Energy and Commerce Committee to look over the horizon and enact laws and regulations that pave the way for American innovation and global leadership.

In the 115th Congress, I felt strongly that AV technology and an AV federal framework were the next frontier for legislative action within this committee.

Although I have remained focused on meaningful legislation action over the last 6 years, I've been disappointed in the lack of bipartisan action by some on AVs.

Over the last several months, I've been working closely with my friend across the aisle, the General Lady from Michigan's 6th District, to craft a solution through a federal legislative framework.

I'm committed to continuing those conversations, drafting a bill that supports the safe development and deployment of fully autonomous technology.

With a federal roadmap for autonomous vehicle deployment, we as Americans all win.

We simply cannot sit back and watch other countries, especially our adversaries, lead because we cannot work together to come to an agreement.

I am pleased We are furthering this discussion in today's hearing and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses.

I yield back to the gentlelady and again thank you to the Chairman.

I have a severe disability, a visual disability.

And I waited until, it was probably my parents who wanted me to wait until I was 18 years old before I got a valid driver's license.

I had to go to the ophthalmologist to make sure that I was OK to drive.

But I've been very limited in my driving.

And I've restricted myself, even though the license doesn't restrict me in any way.

No night driving and just around the local area.

But if we had these self-driving cars, I would not be restricted.

And who knows in the future if I can qualify to get a license because of the disabilities.

So I think it's very important that we work on this.

And I appreciate the bipartisan work that we've done in the past and I want to get this done for the American people.

So in any case now I'm going to yield to my good friend the ranking member Mr.

Pallone for his 5 minutes of opening statement.

Autonomous vehicles hold the promise of improving safety, expanding mobility, and growing our economy for the future.

Fortunately, our nation holds a competitive edge in developing and deploying these technologies.

According to KPMG, the United States is among the top 5 most prepared countries for AVs.

By contrast, Japan ranks 11th, Germany ranks 14th, and China ranks 20th.

But we must preserve and expand this advantage by charting a course that is also in line with the fundamental American values of safety, equity, and workforce protections.

AVs will not save lives if they do not operate safely and adhere to state and local traffic laws.

They will not bridge the mobility divide if we weaken enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act and preempt state and local accessibility laws.

AVs will not benefit society if crash victims and their families do not have a right to seek justice in the courts, and AVs will not create jobs and grow wages if we don't address how AVs may deplace workers.

We also cannot simply dust off six-year-old legislation and ignore the substantial issues that have emerged in recent years.

Workforce impacts are becoming more apparent.

So I appreciate the Republican majority's willingness to discuss drafts offered by Representatives Dingell and Latta at this hearing today.

I've committed to both of them to work together to find a bipartisan path that promotes the safe, responsible deployment of AVs and I hope the Republican majority will allow their bipartisan process to move forward and to bear fruit because a partisan approach stands no chance at ever becoming law.

But I'd now like to yield the remainder of my time to Representative Dingell, the author of 1 of the discussion drafts who continues to push us that we must address this and pass some legislation.

I thank you, the ranking member, and I'm thanking for him listening to my pushing.

But Michigan put the world on wheels and is the global center of automotive manufacturing and innovation.

And today, Michigan is the tip of the spear for the autonomous vehicle AV revolution.

But Michigan, Ohio together is a team you can't beat.

See, I wore red for you today to show the bipartisanship in more than 1 way.

I won't, hopefully nobody got that on camera.

Anyway, I firmly believe in the promise of AV technology, improve safety, expand mobility, and greater economic prosperity.

But if the United States is going to stay at the forefront, Congress must pass a comprehensive bipartisan federal AV framework that supports safe, responsible deployment of AVs and addresses the issues that my colleague, Ranking Member Pallone addressed.

And that's why I am locked arms with my good friend Representative Bob Blata and co-led the Self-Drive Act which passed the House in the 115th Congress.

And it's why we have continued to work on bipartisan bicameral efforts to revive AV legislation ever since.

Despite our best efforts, comprehensive AV legislation has not been enacted.

And additionally, as others have expressed, I am concerned that China and other countries are taking advantage of our inaction.

At today's hearings, we will hear from witnesses about draft legislation that we've been working on for more than a year, legislation that I believe can break the logjam.

It represents a vision that can address the issues that have merged over the last 6 years since we passed the Self-Drive Act.

And over the course of the last year, we have been in meaningful and productive conversations with Representative Lada on that legislation.

Lada and I, we have met with every stakeholder.

We talked to each other about what every stakeholder is saying.

We know what keeps killing this bill and we are going to get a compromise if it kills us to get this bill done.

Listen, I know that, and I also, I really want to thank Chairman Kathy Rogers who came to me right after she became chairman and said, I want this to get done.

And my dear friend, my sometimes chairman now today, ranking member who does get tired of my nagging, but he knows how important it is.

Between these 2 draft bills we're considering today, I see a real path forward on achieving bipartisan AV legislation.

John Diggle used to say, no bill is perfect in today's world.

The 10 Commandments that Moses brought down wouldn't be.

And I do, I want to work with all the members, all the stakeholders.

We want to know what you like, what you don't like, what's missing, and what should be struck.

Look, these are going to be tough, difficult conversations.

They have been for the last 4 years, but I'm tired of people trying to pit us against each other, divide us against each other, then send a bill over to the Senate that everybody knows is going to go nowhere.

The House got a bill done and got it through unanimously.

And I'm going to be arm in arm with my colleague, Mr.

We need to come together, and that is 1 of this Committee's greatest strengths.

I am committed to coming together, and I look forward to today's hearing.

I want to thank the gentlelady for her passion on this particular bill.

Chairman Dingell worked in a bipartisan fashion and got a lot of things done, because I know I was there.

My dad was there anyway, and I was a spectator.

And He's a legend, and we've got to do this in his memory.

So our witnesses today are John Bozzella, the President and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive innovation.

We have Philip Koopman, Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association.

And Mark Riccobono, who is the President of the National Federation of the Blind.

So you are recognized, sir, for 5 minutes.

Ranking Member Schakowsky, Chair McMorris-Rogers, Ranking Member Pallone, members of the subcommittee, my name is John Bozzella.

I am the president and CEO of Alliance for automotive innovation.

Thank you for the invitation to share my perspective on the future of autonomous vehicles in the United States.

In my view, there is no safety or mobility solution with as much promise for the traveling public as autonomous vehicle technology.

My written testimony outlines the urgent need for a federal AV regulatory framework to get more AVs on the road and protect American leadership in autonomy.

I would like to use this time to describe my most recent experience in an AV just a few days ago in San Francisco.

It arrived quickly and for 90 minutes shuttled me to several destinations I chose.

The driving was careful, careful and competent.

My AV seamlessly navigated double-parked cars, swerving cyclists, pedestrians crossing the street late at night, flashing red lights at intersections, and other vehicle traffic.

This wasn't a closed track with foam dummies and fake buildings.

This wasn't a DARPA challenge or science experiment.

This wasn't a tech show ride and drive with an engineer in the driver's seat, hands hovering over the steering wheel.

This was full self-driving in real-world conditions.

It got me where I needed to be calmly, methodically, carefully, safely.

That is what made my experience so powerful, even for someone like me who's seen virtually every innovation in this industry over the last 25 years.

The software will learn from my ride and every ride in the future.

Because the more an AV operates, the more it learns and the better the technology gets.

So if the technology works now and will continue to improve exponentially over time, there's only 1 remaining question.

Do we want this safety technology to exist and the vehicles to be built and to operate here in the U.S.

This is a question that can only be answered by Federal policymakers.

The truth is, government has been bogged down on AVs, even with bipartisan support.

For almost a decade, there has been virtually no forward movement on Federal AV rules.

In spite of this lag and the legal constraints, AV innovators have still managed to notch some growth.

Barring a regulatory framework that delivers some certainty in the near future, I predict 2 things will happen.

Companies will not succeed, and the technology and supply chains for this innovation will migrate to China and other countries, establishing the right operating conditions.

A similar dynamic happened with electric vehicle batteries.

China locked up the global supply of critical minerals and raw materials for EV batteries because, candidly, It was impossible to process, mine, and build here.

That's starting to change, but we're still playing catch up.

It would be a shame if history repeated itself with AVs because the technology works and it continues to improve.

Do occasional glitches or fender benders matter?

But tens of thousands of traffic deaths on US roads because of reckless, drunk, or distracted humans?

So does accessible transportation for seniors or individuals with disabilities.

So does a chance to reduce traffic congestion and create new jobs and businesses.

I'm sure it's rare that somebody from the private sector comes before you to ask, to plead for their businesses to be regulated from the Federal Government.

See all House Committee on Energy and Commerce transcripts on Youtube

Self-Driving Vehicle Leg Framework: Enhancing Safety, Improving Lives & Mobility, & Beating China 2023-07-26 17:32