Development of autonomous driving system (ADS) technology has
captured the imagination of the policymaking, technology, and urban
planning communities in Washington, DC and across the
country—and for good reason. According to economic analysis
commissioned by Intel, ADS technology could be responsible for
stimulating a "new passenger economy" worth up to $7
trillion by 2050 that could result in entirely new services,
applications and efficiencies "associated with vehicle use and
from the resulting freedom of movement."1 However, manufacturers and software
developers attempting to bring new autonomous technology to market
must navigate a complex web of state and local safety rules, and
they must do so today without the benefit of comprehensive federal
autonomous vehicle (AV) safety regulations to streamline the
development process.
