SELF DRIVE Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Latta
In Committee
Summary
Establishes federal safety rules and reporting for automated driving systems, centered on required manufacturer safety cases and a national crash repository. This bill would set nationwide technical and reporting standards to guide testing, limited commercial operations, and deployment of ADS-equipped vehicles.
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- Manufacturers and developers: Would have to prepare a detailed safety case for each ADS version before sale or import. The safety case must cover hardware, software, operational design domain, hazard analyses, required competencies, and a cybersecurity plan, and the Secretary would need to issue a final safety-case rule by Sept. 30, 2027.
- Data and oversight: Would create a National Automated Vehicle Safety Data Repository. Manufacturers would report covered crashes within 30 days and provide quarterly ADS-engaged mileage reporting that sunsets after 5 years, and the Secretary would issue the repository rule by Sept. 30, 2026.
- States, testing, and users: Would block state laws that ban manufacture or sale of ADS-equipped vehicles when a required safety case exists while preserving state traffic, registration, inspection, insurance, and common-law liability rules. The Secretary would be able to authorize limited commercial operations during testing and impose caps on vehicles, mileage, revenue, or duration to prevent de facto deployment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Federal definitions for self-driving terms
This bill would create federal definitions for key self-driving vehicle terms. DOT would use the April 2021 SAE J3016 definitions. DOT would publish a review within 180 days after SAE issues a definition. If SAE revises a definition, DOT would decide within 120 days whether to change the statute. These rules would take effect on enactment.
Federal limits on state self-driving rules
This bill would stop States and localities from enforcing laws that block a maker from making or selling self-driving systems or vehicles when the maker has the required federal safety case. It would also bar some state rules that force manufacturers to report crash data to States. States would still keep traffic, registration, inspection, insurance, consumer protection, and environmental authority. Compliance with federal rules would not erase common-law liability. These preemption rules would take effect on enactment.
Temporary driver-control disablement for safety
This bill would let a maker temporarily disable or change a driver-facing device for safety while the vehicle's automated system is engaged and can do the full driving task. The disablement would have to be intentional, temporary, and for safety reasons. The maker would have to comply with the safety-case rules in section 30130(b). These rules would take effect on enactment.
Limited commercial testing for manufacturers
This bill would let DOT authorize limited commercial operations as part of testing or evaluation. Vehicle makers, ADS makers, and component makers could carry passengers or freight during tests. DOT could set limits on vehicles, miles, revenue, or time in each area. Makers would have to agree not to sell or lease the tested vehicle or part after testing. These changes would take effect on enactment.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Latta
OH • R
Cosponsors
Goldman (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 3/3/2026
Kean
NJ • R
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Schweikert
AZ • R
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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