This week, the House Strategic Committee on Competition Between the U.S. and the CCP released its report summarizing findings and recommendations regarding U.S. competitiveness and the nation’s economic relationship with China, and included a key recommendation raising the cap on production of custom-built autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the U.S.

As the Committee set out on its investigation earlier this year, Chamber of Progress wrote to committee leaders urging them to address U.S. competitiveness in the strategically important industry of autonomous vehicles. The organization wrote in February:

“Regulatory barriers, including outdated Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and restrictive caps on the number of custom-built AV vehicles per company, will not only put American manufacturers at risk of falling behind our global competitors but also delay the many benefits of AVs for American families.” 

In its year-end report released this week, the House committee included a recommendation for Congress to lift the federal cap on development of autonomous vehicles. From the Committee’s report:

“Congress should: Raise the cap on the development of autonomous vehicles (AVs), set by the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 with a framework for consumer safety. The current cap is set at 2,500 vehicles per year under the program for a maximum of two years (5,000 vehicles). Congress should raise it to 100,000 vehicles per year to promote domestic capital investment required to build, equip, and maintain manufacturing plants, train workforces, secure supplier contracts, and develop advanced technologies, while ensuring safety.”

“It’s a step forward for Congress to recognize the strategic and economic importance of continuing to lead on autonomous vehicles,” said Chamber of Progress CEO Adam Kovacevich. “But it can’t stop there – now Congress needs to act by following the Committee’s recommendations and raising the cap on AV development.”

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Chamber of Progress (progresschamber.org) is a center-left tech industry policy coalition promoting technology’s progressive future.  We work to ensure that all Americans benefit from technological leaps, and that the tech industry operates responsibly and fairly.  

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