PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 268.
Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Nov 28, 2017
American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies Act or the AV START Act
This bill: (1) establishes a framework for a federal role in ensuring the safety of highly automated vehicles (HAVs); (2) preempts states from adopting, maintaining, or enforcing any law, rule, or standard regulating an HAV or automated driving system (ADS) regarding certain safety evaluation report subject areas; (3) sets forth conditions under which HAVs may be introduced into interstate commerce for testing, evaluation, or demonstration; and (4) applies certain safety exemptions to HAVs.
The Department of Transportation shall: (1) establish a technical committee on HAV and ADS safety, (2) establish a working group on ADS education efforts, and (3) research the traffic safety implications of HAVs.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Each HAV or ADS manufacturer shall execute a written plan for identifying and reducing cybersecurity risks.
HAV Data Access Advisory Committee Act
The Department of Commerce shall establish the HAV Data Access Advisory Committee to provide a forum to discuss and make policy recommendations with respect to the information or data that vehicles collect, generate, record, or store in an electronic form that is retrieved from an HAV or ADS.
Commerce shall:
develop educational cybersecurity resources to assist consumers in minimizing potential motor vehicle cybersecurity risks;
initiate a study on impacts of HAVs on transportation infrastructure, mobility, the environment, and fuel consumption;
study ways to encourage U.S. manufacturing of automated driving equipment; and
issue a final rule regarding a child safety system to alert motor vehicle operators to check rear designated seating positions after the engine is deactivated.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration shall create a publicly accessible database containing information collected about individuals during motor vehicle operation and privacy policies and protections.
People & committees
Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · R–SD
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 268.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-187.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-187.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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