S 1798 Autonomous Vehicle Acceleration Act of 2025

Summary

Prescribes the Secretary of Transportation to update Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to accommodate Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicles, ensuring that traditional human-driver assumptions do not obstruct certification.

Requires addressing certification challenges identified by the Volpe 2016 Report within one year after the Act's enactment.

Instructs the Secretary to develop a roadmap within one year to achieve commercial-scale deployment of Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicles in the U.S., promoting U.S. leadership and identifying barriers to deployment.

Recommends a risk hierarchy and standard of safety for autonomous vehicles.

Mandates a supplemental technology assessment to address new technologies, safety concerns, and updates to the Volpe 2016 Report.

Requires periodic updates to the roadmap and submission of reports to Congress.

Prescribes standards for autonomous vehicles.

119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1798

To prescribe standards for autonomous vehicles, and for other purposes.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 15, 2025

Ms. Lummis introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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A BILL

To prescribe standards for autonomous vehicles, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Autonomous Vehicle Acceleration Act of 2025''.

Recognizes certification challenges in current safety standards for autonomous vehicles and emphasizes updating regulatory frameworks.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) rapid advancements in autonomous vehicle technology present significant opportunities to improve transportation safety, efficiency, and mobility;

(2) current Federal motor vehicle safety standards were not designed with fully autonomous vehicles in mind, creating certification challenges and slowing design and production of vehicles without drivers;

(3) maintaining global leadership in autonomous vehicle technology will enhance the competitiveness of the United States, foster economic growth, and spur innovation across the domestic manufacturing sector; and

(4) the most advanced automated driving systems have demonstrated safety records superior to human drivers in comparable situations, indicating that maintaining regulatory frameworks designed exclusively for human operators may delay lifesaving technological implementation.

Defines terms related to autonomous vehicles, automated driving systems, and relevant standards and authorities.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) Autonomous vehicle.--

(A) In general.--The term ``autonomous vehicle'' means a vehicle equipped with an automated driving system that is capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis without any expected involvement by a human driver.

(B) Inclusions.--The term ``autonomous vehicle'' includes a vehicle equipped with a Level 4 or Level 5 automated driving system.

(2) FMVSS.--The term ``FMVSS'' means a Federal motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under section 30111(a) of title 49, United States Code.

(3) SAE international standard j3016.--The term ``SAE International Standard J3016'' means SAE International Recommended Practice entitled ``Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles'', numbered J3016, and dated April 2021 (or a successor standard adopted by the Secretary).

(4) SAE terms.--The terms ``automated driving system'', ``Level 4'', and ``Level 5'' have the meanings given those terms in SAE International Standard J3016.

(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

(6) Volpe 2016 report.--The term ``Volpe 2016 Report'' means the report of the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center of the Department of Transportation entitled ``Review of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for Automated Vehicles: Identifying Potential Barriers and Challenges for the Certification of Automated Vehicles Using Existing FMVSS'' and dated March 2016.

Requires the Secretary to update regulations to facilitate Level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicle certification.

SEC. 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF VOLPE CENTER RECOMMENDATIONS.

(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall address, in accordance with subsection (b), all certification challenges identified by the Volpe Center 2016 Report relating to--

(1) the presumption of a human driver; and

(2) performance specifications, test procedures, or equipment requirements that do not adequately account for autonomous vehicle designs.

(b) Regulatory Updates.--The Secretary shall, as the Secretary determines appropriate, develop, amend, interpret, exempt from application, or otherwise update any FMVSS requirement or other regulation, guidance, or interpretation under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to ensure that the certification and approval process for Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicles is not unduly obstructed by assumptions of traditional human-driver designs, including requirements relating to seating arrangements, internal cabin configurations, window placement, driver controls, and other features, as determined by the Secretary.

(c) Discretionary Compliance Determination and Rulemaking Authority.--At the discretion of the Secretary, and through such rulemaking as the Secretary determines to be necessary, including by establishing exemption processes for autonomous vehicles consistent with section 30114(a) of title 49, United States Code, autonomous vehicles may be determined to be in compliance with applicable regulations relating to motor vehicle safety, including any FMVSS.

(d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report detailing steps taken by the Secretary under subsection (b) to address the challenges identified by the Volpe Center 2016 described in subsection (a), including any new or revised rules or guidance issued by the Secretary.

Requires the Secretary to develop and periodically update a roadmap for deploying Level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicles.

SEC. 5. ROADMAP FOR FUTURE CONCEPTS.

(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a roadmap to achieve commercial-scale deployment of Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicles.

(b) Requirements.--The roadmap required under subsection (a) shall-- (1) support the design, manufacturing, and deployment of Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicles in the United States;

(2) promote United States leadership in global autonomous vehicle markets and supply chains;

(3) identify ways to lower practical, technological, and regulatory barriers to Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicle deployment;

(4) recommend a risk hierarchy involving the use of autonomous vehicles and a standard of safety for autonomous vehicle use;

(5) incorporate a supplemental technology assessment, which shall-- (A) identify and address--

(i) new technologies and industry developments since publication of the Volpe 2016 Report;

(ii) emerging safety concerns specific to autonomous vehicle operations; and

(iii) recommended updates to the findings or recommendations of the Volpe 2016 Report; and

(B) on completion, be used by the Secretary to propose any amendments to any existing FMVSS that are necessary to ensure clarity, consistency, and safety for autonomous-vehicle designs; and

(6) include any additional initiatives or strategies the Secretary determines necessary to achieve the objectives of this Act.

(c) Supplemental Technology Assessment Interim Update.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a preliminary update describing progress, challenges, and next steps taken by the Secretary to carry out the supplemental technology assessment described in subsection (b)(5).

(d) Roadmap Updates.--The roadmap required under subsection (a) shall be updated periodically, as determined necessary by the Secretary.

(e) Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make publicly available, the roadmap required under subsection (a).