Even though last year’s effort fell short, the bill enjoyed strong support in the House, where it passed unanimously via a voice vote. However, in the 116th Congress, with Democrats in control, expect an enhanced focus on vehicle safety and oversight of manufacturers.

“We are going to deal with autonomous vehicles, the AV START Act and the way we think about how people and goods are transported around the country,” Wicker said. “Congress got close on this last year … we will see how far we get this time. There are wrinkles that need to be ironed out, but I think we can get there.”

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