TO THE EDITOR:
At a time when our nation is in the middle of an unprecedented public health crisis, Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce have decided that self-driving cars should be a top priority. They are joined by auto and tech manufacturers trying to leverage the fear surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic to promote enactment of flawed legislation that jeopardizes public safety.
Bills from 2017-18 and this session's staff drafts would allow unproven and unregulated technology on neighborhood streets and roads throughout the country. Their justifications rely on unverified and baseless claims, including that the U.S. has fallen behind China. At a time when the public is looking to their elected officials to unite and lead them out of a crisis, these members of Congress instead have chosen to push divisive industry giveaways.
As "Safety groups oppose move to attach AV legislation to virus relief" (autonews.com, April 15) points out, there is a groundswell of opposition to this tactic, including a large and diverse coalition of 80 stakeholders representing safety, public health, bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists, smart growth, consumers, environmental interests, disability advocates, first responders and local governments. Labor groups also strongly oppose this ill-advised and careless action.
This is not the time for Congress to fast-track unrelated legislation that will threaten auto safety for decades to come. Our immediate focus should be on urgent relief from the pandemic crisis and not urgent relief for the industry's risky financial investments in self-driving cars.
JOAN CLAYBROOK, Washington, The writer is a board member for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety and was head of NHTSA from 1977 to 1981.
