9-7-2017 -- Consumer Reports -- The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation Wednesday that would allow automakers to build and sell hundreds of thousands of self-driving cars for use on U.S. public roads without holding those vehicles to current safety standards.

The cars—which could be used for research into autonomous vehicle technology—might end up on public roads with other regular drivers.

The auto industry praised its passage, but Consumer Reports and other safety advocates question whether the bill goes too far and would put drivers at risk.

The SELF DRIVE Act also would prevent states from regulating self-driving cars and would create a federal system to ensure the new high-tech vehicles are safe. New national standards would prevent automakers and software manufacturers from having to deal with a patchwork of state rules across the nation.

To become law, the Senate must pass a version of this legislation; senators are expected to consider automated vehicle legislation and push for it to become law, and could introduce their own version of the bill soon. The Senate has scheduled a hearing on self-driving trucks for next week that will also touch on this legislation.

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