Elon Musk pushes Congress to clear road for autonomous vehicles

Elon Musk is actively lobbying US lawmakers to back legislation that would clear the path for autonomous vehicles (AV) as part of Tesla’s broader push to advance self-driving technology.

Recently, Musk and his team have been reaching out directly to members of Congress to build support for a bill introduced on May 15, aimed at establishing a foundational regulatory framework for driverless cars, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Insiders say options being discussed include speeding up the bill’s progress or presenting a more detailed version before Congress adjourns for the July 4 recess. A spokesperson for Wyoming Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis, the bill’s sponsor, declined to disclose details of her meetings but emphasized the bill “moves forward on decade-old DOT recommendations and is designed to identify all essential needs for commercial scale AV deployment.” Joe Jackson, Lummis’ senior communications adviser, added, “Major policy decisions on AVs are long overdue.”

At an Oval Office press briefing, Musk confirmed he will continue advising President Donald Trump even after stepping down from leading the Department of Government Efficiency. “The administration’s policy is driven by one thing and one thing only: achieving the president’s agenda and his commitment to the American people,” said White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields. 

Securing federal approval for autonomous vehicles would be a major win for Musk, who has recently refocused on managing Tesla and is increasingly betting on autonomy and robotics for the company’s future. Tesla plans to launch its highly anticipated rideshare service in Austin on June 12, initially using a small fleet of existing Model Y SUVs, Bloomberg reported. The company also intends to roll out purpose-built Cybercabs, which are expected to enter volume production next year. Currently, federal regulations limit Tesla’s Cybercab deployment to a test batch of 2,500 vehicles that are exempt from having steering wheels and pedals. 

Tesla and other operators have long pushed for a national standard allowing such fully driverless vehicles on US highways. The Trump administration has expressed willingness to implement federal rules for autonomous vehicles, and Musk has used Tesla’s earnings calls to advocate for a unified regulatory approach. A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tesla must make decisions in its best business interest, while noting the administration’s continued focus on making the US energy sector dominant again. “It’d be wonderful for the United States to have a national set of rules for autonomous driving as opposed to 50 independent sets of rules on a state-by-state basis,” Musk told Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy during a May visit to Tesla. 

At present, companies operating autonomous vehicles maintain small fleets and navigate a patchwork of state laws. In Texas, Tesla’s upcoming launch will face few restrictions, with autonomous vehicles regulated similarly to conventional cars — requiring cameras, insurance, and compliance with traffic laws. Congress has debated multiple bills proposing to allow between 80,000 and 200,000 autonomous vehicles per manufacturer, but none have passed the Senate. 

A 2017 House bill that would have permitted 100,000 AVs on public roads stalled amid Senate opposition fueled by trial lawyers concerned about liability issues. Representative Bob Latta (R-Ohio), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and sponsor of the bill, is reportedly revising the legislation with plans to reintroduce it soon.

By Naila Huseynova