R Street panel on NHTSA rules for self-driving cars

When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its much anticipated self-driving vehicle guidelines, instant reaction was generally favorable. But upon further reflection, a more complicated picture was revealed.

In light of the guidance, there are important questions that confront Congress, the states and industry. What new authority will Congress need to consider to oversee the development and deployment of self-driving vehicles effectively? Do the guidelines strike the correct balance between the state and federal spheres of authority? Do self-driving vehicles require heightened regulatory scrutiny?

I moderated an Oct. 11 R Street panel to consider those questions, joined by David Strickland, former NHTSA administrator and counsel to the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets; Hilary Cain, director of technology and innovation policy at Toyota; Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Technology Association; Marc Scribner, a fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute; and, Adam Thierer, a senior research fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Video of the event is embedded below.