SELF DRIVE Act of 2026

This legislation, known as the SELF DRIVE Act of 2026, seeks to maintain United States leadership in the autonomous driving sector, enhance road safety, and foster job creation. It achieves this by establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS). A core provision requires manufacturers to develop a safety case for each ADS and ADS-equipped vehicle, detailing its design, performance, hazard analysis, crash anticipation, and cybersecurity measures. This safety case must demonstrate that the system does not pose an unreasonable risk of accidents, death, or injury. The Secretary of Transportation, through NHTSA, is mandated to issue a final rule by September 30, 2027, to implement these safety case requirements. The bill outlines specific ADS competencies that must be addressed in the safety case, including the system's ability to operate within its operational design domain (ODD), detect and respond to vulnerable road users, and achieve a minimal risk condition (MRC) when necessary. For Level 3 ADS, clear communication with a fallback-ready user and sufficient lead time for control transfer are required. Additionally, ADS-dedicated vehicles designed to carry occupants must provide means for an occupant to command an MRC and safely exit the vehicle. These vehicles are exempted from motor vehicle safety standards requiring manually operated controls intended solely for a human driver. To enhance safety oversight, the bill mandates the establishment of a National Automated Vehicle Safety Data Repository by September 30, 2026. Manufacturers will be required to report detailed information on "covered crashes" involving ADS-equipped vehicles, as well as quarterly mileage data. This data will be accessible to State transportation regulatory agencies, subject to confidential business information protections, and publicly shared in an aggregated form. The legislation also establishes federal preemption, preventing states from prohibiting ADS deployment if a safety case is developed or from requiring separate crash reporting, while preserving state authority over traditional areas like traffic laws, vehicle registration, and insurance. Furthermore, the bill amends existing law to permit manufacturers of ADS or ADS-equipped vehicles to conduct testing and evaluation , including limited commercial operations such as carrying passengers or freight. These commercial operations are subject to authorization and limitations by the Secretary of Transportation to ensure they remain part of testing, not de facto deployment of non-compliant vehicles. Finally, the Secretary of Commerce is directed to review the implementation of a final rule concerning the security of connected vehicle information and communications technology supply chains within one year of the bill's enactment.