The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA), regarding Sens. John Thune (R-SD), Gary Peters (D-MI) and Bill Nelson’s (D-FL) bipartisan principles for self-driving vehicles legislation:

"The pace of innovation in vehicle technology is astounding, and consumer interest is growing rapidly – our research shows the vast majority of U.S. consumers are excited about the many benefits self-driving cars will deliver from increasing safety, to reducing emissions to expanding access to transportation. To help automakers and tech companies achieve their goals of having self-driving cars on the road as early as 2020, the Senators’ principles provide a modern, flexible and thoughtful plan for Congress to address important policy issues.

“We appreciate the leadership of Sens. Thune, Peters and Nelson and their openness to innovation. Thoughtful, tech-neutral policy solutions and clear and consistent rules will help enable this technology to move from the labs to the test tracks concept to our roadways. We look forward to working with policymakers and the public to deliver the promise of self-driving technology to save tens of thousands of lives a year in the U.S., reduce congestion and pollution, and improve the mobility of seniors and people with disabilities.”