[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7390 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7390
To amend title 49, United States Code, regarding the authority of the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over vehicles with
automated driving systems to provide safety measures for such vehicles,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2026
Mr. Latta introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, regarding the authority of the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over vehicles with
automated driving systems to provide safety measures for such vehicles,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Safely Ensuring
Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution Act of 2026''
or the ``SELF DRIVE Act of 2026''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purpose.
Sec. 3. Updated or new motor vehicle safety requirements for vehicles
with automated driving systems.
Sec. 4. Motor vehicle testing or evaluation.
Sec. 5. Make inoperative.
Sec. 6. Protecting the security of connected vehicles.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to ensure continued United States
leadership in the global automotive and autonomous driving sector,
improve road safety, mobility, and accessibility, and create American
jobs by creating rules and regulations that relate to the design,
construction, and performance of ADS-equipped vehicles and by
encouraging the testing and deployment of such vehicles.
SEC. 3. UPDATED OR NEW MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR VEHICLES
WITH AUTOMATED DRIVING SYSTEMS.
(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 301 of subtitle VI of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``Sec. 30130. Motor vehicle safety standards for automated driving
systems
``(a) Definitions.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), in
this section and sections 30103, 30112, 30122, and 30131:
``(A) ADS-dedicated vehicle.--The term `ADS-
dedicated vehicle' means an ADS-equipped vehicle
designed to be operated exclusively by a Level 4 or
Level 5 automated driving system in driverless
operation under any routine or normal operating
condition during any trip within the operational design
domain of the vehicle.
``(B) ADS-equipped vehicle.--The term `ADS-equipped
vehicle' means any motor vehicle equipped with an
automated driving system.
``(C) Automated driving system; ads.--The terms
`automated driving system' and `ADS'--
``(i) mean the hardware and software that
are collectively capable of performing the
entire dynamic driving task on a sustained
basis, regardless of whether such system is
limited to a specific operational design
domain; and
``(ii) include only a system that meets the
definition of Level 3, Level 4, or Level 5
automation.
``(D) DDT fallback.--The term `DDT fallback' means,
after a DDT performance-relevant system failure or upon
the exit of an ADS-equipped vehicle from the
operational design domain of that vehicle--
``(i) the response by the in-vehicle
fallback-ready user to perform the dynamic
driving task or to achieve an MRC; or
``(ii) the response by an automated driving
system to achieve an MRC.
``(E) DDT performance-relevant system failure.--The
term `DDT performance-relevant system failure' means a
malfunction in an ADS, another vehicle system, or both
that prevents the ADS from reliably performing the DDT
on a sustained basis.
``(F) Dynamic driving task; ddt.--The terms
`dynamic driving task' and `DDT'--
``(i) mean all of the real-time operational
and tactical function required to operate a
motor vehicle in on-road traffic;
``(ii) exclude any strategic function, such
as trip scheduling and selection of a
destination or waypoint; and
``(iii) include--
``(I) lateral vehicle motion
control through steering;
``(II) longitudinal motion control
through acceleration and deceleration;
``(III) monitoring of the driving
environment through object and event
detection, recognition, classification,
and response preparation;
``(IV) object and event response
execution;
``(V) maneuver planning; and
``(VI) enhancement of conspicuity
through lighting, sounding the horn,
signaling, gesturing, or another
indicator.
``(G) Fallback-ready user.--The term `fallback-
ready user' means a user of a motor vehicle equipped
with an engaged Level 3 ADS feature who--
``(i) is properly qualified and able to
operate the vehicle; and
``(ii) is receptive to an ADS-issued
request to intervene and to evident DDT
performance-relevant system failure in the
vehicle.
``(H) In-vehicle fallback-ready user.--The term
`in-vehicle fallback-ready user' means a fallback-ready
user who is seated in the driver's seat.
``(I) Level 3; level 4; level 5.--The terms `Level
3', `Level 4', and `Level 5' have the meaning given
those terms in the April 2021 edition of the J3016
recommended practice of SAE International, `Taxonomy
and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation
Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles'.
``(J) Minimal risk condition; mrc.--The terms
`minimal risk condition' and `MRC' mean a stable,
stopped condition to which an in-vehicle fallback-ready
user or an ADS may bring a motor vehicle after
performing the DDT fallback in order to reduce the risk
of a crash when a trip cannot or should not be
continued.
``(K) Operational design domain; odd.--The terms
`operational design domain' and `ODD' mean the
operating conditions under which an ADS, or feature
thereof, is specifically designed to function,
including any environmental, geographical, and time-of-
day restriction, or the requisite presence or absence
of certain traffic or roadway characteristics.
``(L) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the
Secretary of Transportation, acting through the
Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
``(M) Vulnerable road user.--The term `vulnerable
road user'--
``(i) means an individual who is present on
or in close proximity to a road but is not an
occupant of a motor vehicle with more than 3
wheels; and
``(ii) includes a pedestrian, bicyclist,
motorcyclist, individual in a wheelchair, and a
rider or occupant of any other transport
vehicle that is not a motor vehicle, such as an
all-terrain vehicle or tractor.
``(2) Update to definitions.--
``(A) Use of sae international definitions.--The
Secretary shall use any definition set forth in April
2021 edition of the J3016 recommended practice of SAE
International, `Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms
Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor
Vehicles' for any term defined in paragraph (1).
``(B) Review.--
``(i) In general.--Not later than 180 days
after the date on which any definition for an
automated driving system described in
subparagraph (A) is released by SAE
International, the Secretary--
``(I) shall publish in the Federal
Register a review on the clarity and
objectivity of such definition; and
``(II) may provide feedback to SAE
International with suggestions for
updates to any such definition.
``(ii) Use of revised standard.--
``(I) Determination.--Not later
than 120 days after the date on which
SAE International revises a definition
described in subparagraph (A), the
Secretary, after publishing notice of
the revision in the Federal Register,
shall determine whether to revise any
term defined in paragraph (1).
``(II) Effect of decision not to
adopt a revised definition.--If the
Secretary decides not to adopt a
revised definition--
``(aa) the Secretary shall
notify SAE International of the
decision by the Secretary; and
``(bb) the definitions
described in subparagraph (A)
shall remain in effect.
``(b) Automated Driving System Requirements.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) Safety case required.--A manufacturer may not
manufacture for sale, sell, offer for sale, introduce
or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce,
or import into the United States any automated driving
system or ADS-equipped vehicle unless the manufacturer
has developed a safety case for the automated driving
system or ADS-equipped vehicle that meets the
requirements described in paragraph (3).
``(B) Regulations and procedures.--Consistent with
paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), the Secretary may
prescribe regulations to establish--
``(i) objective content requirements for a
safety case; and
``(ii) procedures for manufacturers to
certify the completion of a safety case and
provide the safety case to the Secretary upon
request under section 30166.
``(C) Modification of ads competencies by
secretary.--The Secretary may prescribe motor vehicle
safety standards that define, modify, or interpret the
ADS competencies described in paragraph (5).
``(2) Safety standard to require safety case.--
``(A) Safety standard.--Not later than September
30, 2027, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue a
final rule that prescribes a motor vehicle safety
standard under section 30111 that requires each
manufacturer that manufactures for sale, sells, offers
for sale, introduces or delivers for introduction in
interstate commerce, or imports into the United States
an ADS-equipped vehicle or an automated driving system
intended for installation in a motor vehicle not
originally equipped with such system to--
``(i) complete a safety case described in
paragraph (3) for each ADS version produced by
the manufacturer that meets the requirements
described in this section; and
``(ii) provide the safety case to the
Secretary upon request under section 30166.
``(B) Deadline.--If the Secretary does not meet the
deadline described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary
shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a
report that describes the reasons why the deadline was
not met.
``(C) Special rule.--Any motor vehicle safety
standard issued under this paragraph supersedes any
conflicting requirement under paragraph (1).
``(3) Requirements for safety case.--A safety case
described in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall provide claims,
supported by arguments and evidence, that support the
conclusion of the manufacturer that the design, construction,
and performance of the automated driving system to be used in
an ADS-equipped vehicle will not present an unreasonable risk
of accidents, death, or injury, and shall include:
``(A) A description of each hardware and software
element of the ADS that includes the following:
``(i) Braking, steering, and computing
capability.
``(ii) Redundancies.
``(iii) Each capability of the suite of
sensors of the ADS.
``(iv) The integration of the ADS into the
vehicle platform, including its propulsion
system.
``(B) A complete description of the operational
design domain of the ADS and how the ADS performs each
element of the dynamic driving task within the ODD of
the ADS.
``(C) Each engineering methodology, including each
hazard analysis used to design and assess the
performance of the ADS and ensure motor vehicle safety.
``(D) Analysis of the safety performance of the ADS
that uses the methodology described in subparagraph
(C), including each competency in normal driving and
crash avoidance capability and the acceptance criteria
used by the manufacturer in assessing such performance.
``(E) An explanation of how the ADS anticipates and
responds to any potential crash.
``(F) A description of any vehicle-integrated
system that provides a visual or digital hazard that
alerts a nearby road user when the vehicle executes or
enters a minimal risk condition, including any system
that automatically activates a high-conspicuity
lighting pattern, transmits a digital hazard message,
or both, to any connected vehicle and roadway
infrastructure.
``(G) An explanation of how the ADS-equipped
vehicle meets each competency listed in paragraph (5).
``(4) ADS competencies.--The competencies described in this
paragraph are the following:
``(A) An ADS can perform the entire DDT within the
ODD of the ADS and is able to recognize the boundaries
of its ODD.
``(B) An ADS can detect and respond appropriately
to any vulnerable road user likely to be present and in
proximity to the ADS in the relevant ODD.
``(C) In the case of a Level 3 ADS, the ADS has the
ability to clearly and unambiguously communicate ADS
status and whether a user is a fallback ready user and,
during any transfer of control to the fallback-ready
user, to provide sufficient lead time for the fallback-
ready user to safely assume the DDT and safely maintain
vehicle control until the fallback-ready user has
assumed control and the transfer is completed.
``(D) In the case of a Level 4 and Level 5 ADS, the
ADS has the ability to safely achieve an MRC when
necessary.
``(E) An ADS can detect the limits of the ODD of
the ADS and respond appropriately when 1 or more
conditions of the ODD are no longer met, whether by
achieving an MRC or, in the case of a Level 3 ADS,
alerting the fallback-ready user to intervene and
assume control of the DDT.
``(F) An ADS is can detect and respond to any
object or event, including emergency vehicles,
emergency personnel, and school buses likely to be
present and in proximity