Thune Hopes Senate Self-Driving Vehicle Bill Marked Up by Columbus Break; Trucks at Issue
Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., said Wednesday he wants to introduce and mark up autonomous vehicle legislation before the Columbus Day break, or Oct. 9, and remained hopeful he can resolve differences, namely with Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., over whether to include trucks in a bill. Thune told reporters after a hearing on self-driving trucks that he wants the bill to "strike the right balance" and be bipartisan. "There's a real need, I think, for Congress to act in this space," he said. "We'll make the ultimate determination on what the final draft bill is that we end up filing here soon."
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"We have to have more discussions on it," Peters told reporters: "I can't come to that conclusion" yet. He said the hearing didn't answer all questions about the technology's potential impact on trucking jobs, plus safety concerns. Last week, the senators released a discussion draft of the bill after the House unanimously passed its version, which doesn't address self-driving trucks (see 1709060035). During the hearing, Peters said the "prospect of self-driving trucks raises a very different set of issues from self-driving cars" according to many experts he's talked with, and he didn't think it should be included in the Senate bill.
Most witnesses favored including trucks in autonomous vehicle legislation. International Brotherhood of Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall though has reservations on its impact on employment and wages and safety. He's unsure how an 80,000-pound self-driving truck would be able maneuver around a warehouse without injuring workers.
Peters asked American Trucking Associations CEO Chris Spears about displacement of drivers with automated technology. Spears said the industry has a 50,000-driver shortage, which could double in five years. His association wants technology to help drivers be safer and more productive, and make the equipment more environmentally friendly and reduce traffic congestion. He said highly automated trucks are decades away, and lower levels of automation are eyed. Spears also plugged use of 5.9 GHz spectrum for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications, which he called the "secret sauce" for improving safety and reducing congestion.
Cybersecurity was a significant topic for witnesses. "Nobody out there wants their equipment to be compromised," said Spears, saying strong protocols need to align with federal policies. "I agree with Mr. Hall. I don't think you want a tank truck that's driverless in an ISIS world," said Spears. Truck manufacturer Navistar CEO Troy Clarke said cybersecurity is an "immediate issue" because about 40 percent of trucks are connected telematically. He said his company won't go to market without the proper safeguards and welcomes regulatory oversight.
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., asked about privacy and whether automakers and others should collect and resell the information without permission from motorists or their families. Hall said there's "no question" that people's personal lives and financial information have to be protected.