MEMA Applauds Latest AV Guidelines, But More Certainty Needed

Motor vehicle component parts manufacturers in the United States have invested (over $1 billion) heavily in safety and automated innovations for vehicles; including research, development, design, and testing. To continue this trend of significant and meaningful U.S. investment, component parts manufacturers rely on certainty from federal and state laws and regulations.

MEMA, representing the largest sector of manufacturing jobs in the U.S., congratulates the Trump administration on rolling out “Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0,” updated guidelines for driverless vehicles. MEMA supports the administration’s focus on promoting safety, ensuring efficient markets, and facilitating efforts across the agencies to standardize federal policies.

MEMA urges Congress and the administration to come together to pass comprehensive AV legislation this year. Vehicle component parts manufacturers are leading the way in new vehicle technologies and safety innovations and these technologies hold enormous promise that will allow U.S. companies to lead worldwide. Passage of a comprehensive AV bill is critical for these technologies to reach their full potential, thus providing the necessary certainty for continued investment in the U.S. and help ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in technology development.

For years, MEMA has worked side-by-side with the broader motor vehicle industry and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in discussing concerns and providing insight into how automated vehicles can be safely deployed. MEMA welcomes the opportunity to continue working with the federal government on policies and actions that will foster investments here in the U.S., strengthen our competitiveness, and retain its role as a global leader in mobility technologies.