Washington, D.C.—Robbie Diamond, President and CEO of Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives successfully passed the first-ever federal autonomous vehicle (AV) legislation, the SELF DRIVE Act.

“The House took a critical step today that will help transform America’s transportation system more dramatically than anything since the invention of the vehicle itself. By clearly defining appropriate roles for the federal and state governments, creating both a near-term and long-term pathway to get these vehicles safely on the road, and directing the development advisory committees around data sharing and disability engagement, we are positioning the U.S. as the global leader in the AV race. The passage of this bipartisan legislation in the House is a testament to the excellent leadership of Chairman Latta, Rep. Dingell and other members on the House Energy and Commerce Committee,” said Diamond

“While we believe there are areas for improvement, this is a major step forward and we are optimistic our partners in the Senate will use this momentum to move forward as well. Clear and commonsense action by Congress has the ability to improve roadway safety, increase transportation access for seniors and individuals with disabilities, and make our transportation system more efficient while breaking our dependence on the unfree global oil market.” Diamond continued.

Since early 2016, SAFE has been on the forefront of AV thought leadership and has provided concrete policy recommendations and testimony to state and federal-level legislators, agencies and the administration. SAFE’s notable publications include:

• A National Strategy on Energy Security (May 2016) that lays out the explicit link between autonomy and self-driving vehicles with improving oil dependence and increasing our national security while offering specific policy recommendation to accelerate the development and deployment of these vehicles.
• Commission on Autonomous Vehicle Testing and Safety (January 2017) with best-practice recommendations based on the opinion of a panel of safety experts and former public officials committed to the safe and timely introduction of AVs.
• Report on the opportunities AVs provide to the disability community (January 2017) co-authored with the Ruderman Family Foundation, which found that autonomous vehicle technology could open 2 million employment opportunities for people with disabilities and $19 billion could be saved annually in healthcare costs.
• Statement for the record studying the nexus between AVs and alternative fuel vehicles (February 2017), which found that 80 percent of current AV models employ an alternative drivetrain.

About Securing America’s Future Energy

Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization that aims to reduce America’s dependence on oil. Near-total dependence on petroleum in the transportation sector undermines the nation’s economic and national security, and constrains U.S. foreign policy. To combat these threats, SAFE advocates for expanded domestic production of U.S. oil and gas resources, continued improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency, and transportation sector innovations including electric vehicles, natural gas trucks, and autonomous vehicles. In 2006, SAFE joined with General P.X. Kelley (Ret.), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President, and CEO of FedEx Corporation, to form the Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a group of business and former military leaders committed to reducing the United States’ dependence on oil. Today, the ESLC is co-chaired by Frederick W. Smith and General James T. Conway (Ret), 34th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

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