Skip to main content

Leaders call for US to accelerate autonomous cars

A group seeking to improve American oil security through domestic production, fuel competition, driverless technology and anti-cartel measures has called on policymakers to remove regulatory hurdles in order to accelerate the deployment of self-driving cars, as well as revise tax incentives to boost sales of less expensive electric vehicles. Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), chaired by FedEx Corporation chairman, president and CEO Frederick W. Smith and retired US Marine Corps Commandant James Con
May 20, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A group seeking to improve American oil security through domestic production, fuel competition, driverless technology and anti-cartel measures has called on policymakers to remove regulatory hurdles in order to accelerate the deployment of self-driving cars, as well as revise tax incentives to boost sales of less expensive electric vehicles.

Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), chaired by FedEx Corporation chairman, president and CEO Frederick W. Smith and retired US Marine Corps Commandant James Conway, has released a report, recommending the removal of federal regulatory obstacles to the deployment of autonomous vehicles and allow broad commercialisation once they are as safe as today’s cars.

The report also recommends that federal rules on autonomous vehicles should pre-empt state standards and regulation on automotive safety should evolve to a more flexible and collaborative model based on performance-based standards.

It also proposes the establishment of autonomous vehicle deployment communities to test the technology and encourage public engagement.

These recommendations were supplemented with policy recommendations to accelerate the adoption of advanced fuel vehicles powered by diverse energy sources, including restructuring federal tax incentive for electric vehicles to remove the 200,000 vehicle-per-manufacturer cap and phase down beginning in 2021.

SAFE also proposes reducing the value of the federal electric vehicle tax credit for vehicles over US$40,000 and removing it completely for vehicles over US$55,000.

“We’re on the cusp of the largest ground transportation transformation since the invention of the Model T, and we must ensure that unnecessary and outdated regulations don’t encumber its potential. Through a wholly new value proposition that promises a fundamental shift in how we move people and goods, autonomous vehicles will accelerate the adoption of advanced fuel vehicles while making our roads safer and our transportation system far more efficient,” said Smith.

Related Content

  • Global ADAS market is expected to reach US$60.14 billion by 2020
    May 13, 2015
    A new report from Allied Market Research, Global Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends, Opportunities, Growth and Forecast, 2013 – 2020 claims the global advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) market will reach US$60.14 billion by 2020, registering a CAGR of 22.8 per cent during 2014-2020. According to the report, the deployment of sensors in vehicles has brought a massive transformation in the automotive industry by providing improved passenger experience and safet
  • Study reveals major concerns over the security of connected cars
    March 2, 2016
    New research has revealed that half of British drivers (49 per cent) are concerned about the safety of the connected car, with automotive manufacturers also admitting there could be a security lag of up to three years before systems catch up with cyber threats. The report, commissioned by Veracode and carried out by the International Data Corporation (IDC), revealed half of drivers are concerned about the security of driver-aid applications, such as adaptive cruise control, self-parking, and collision av
  • Sandra Phillips of Movmi: ‘We’re all trying to get people moving without a car’
    April 30, 2021
    Movmi founder Sandra Phillips talks to Adam Hill about why transport integration is sometimes a matter of trust – and how to empower women in transportation
  • Lytx welcomes transport secretary’s focus on distracted driving
    July 18, 2014
    Driver safety and compliance solutions specialist Lytx Europe has welcomed news that the UK transport secretary is considering a number of options to combat distracted driving. Patrick McLoughlin has suggested that the penalty for using a mobile phone while driving could be doubled from the current three points, while a government spokesman said "Using a mobile phone while driving is extremely dangerous which is why we are considering a number of options to deter drivers." Julie Townsend, deputy chief