The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) today called on policymakers to embrace the incredible possibilities the Internet of Things (IoT) will offer as the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee holds a hearing tomorrow entitled: “Update on IoT Opportunities and Challenges.”

“Thanks to Chairman Latta’s leadership, policymakers will have an open forum to learn about the way the technology community is using the Internet of Things to create benefits for individuals, the economy and our environment,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “The IoT will save lives, improve our health, increase our safety and security, improve our environment  and change education. Thanks to audio/visual, smart home, wearables, transportation and others products and services, the IoT will save consumers time and money, reduce CO2 emissions and enhance our nation’s role as a global tech leader.”

Last year, CTA released an IoT white paper providing a framework for policymakers to “aggressively accelerate the positive steps government can take to promote IoT innovation while refraining from broad regulatory action that would derail or delay new IoT applications.”

Additionally, CTA’s The Energy Savings Potential of Home Automation Technology study revealed home automation products such as temperature, circuit and lighting control, if used for energy savings purposes, could collectively avoid up to 100 million tons of CO2 emissions and reduce total residential primary energy consumption by as much as 10 percent.