Diverse Coalition of More than 75 Groups and Crash Victims Tell the U.S. Senate to Hit the Brakes on the Flawed AV START Act (S.1885)
A broad alliance of local, state and national organizations representing safety, law enforcement and first responders, public health, bicyclists and pedestrians, engineering, environmental and consumer groups, disability communities and families affected by motor vehicle crashes sent this letter to Senators urging them to oppose the AV START Act (S. 1885). This deficient bill fails to sufficiently address known problems revealed by the dangerous and deadly crashes involving vehicles equipped with highly and partially automated driving systems. If enacted without critical, common-sense changes, companies will be allowed to sell mass quantities of experimental driverless cars that do not have to meet federal safety standards – essentially turning public streets and highways into industry proving grounds. We call on Senators to oppose the AV START Act absent needed safeguards and reject any attempts to attach this seriously-flawed bill to must-pass legislation.