Good morning, everyone. I’m Will Wallace with Consumer Reports. We are an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1936 with millions of members nationwide. Our mission is to create a fair and just marketplace for all. That mission drives everything we do.
In 2025, we are committed to:
- Serving as an essential problem-solving partner for consumers;
- Organizing with consumers to make the marketplace better;
- Meeting people where they are: such as on digital/mobile, and in their communities; and
- Collaboratively engaging with our partners and with companies.
CR has worked for nearly 90 years to secure important victories for consumers to make their lives safer, healthier, and fairer. We have empowered them with information about automotive technology and safety over our entire history. That includes evaluations of today’s vehicles with Level 2 active driving assistance.
We’re well positioned to be a voice for consumers on the safe deployment of AVs, and we think it’s critical to have this discussion now, as AVs deploy in more metro areas and more consumers have their first real-world exposure to them.
When it comes to federal legislation, it’s important to be aware of some significant challenges. Passing any bill is a formidable task, especially in the Congress we have today. AV legislation faces some particular obstacles.
First: Previous federal legislative efforts touched some third rails. These bills needlessly dove right into some of the deepest fault lines of regulation, with overly expansive provisions on state preemption and exemptions from motor vehicle safety standards. These provisions went well beyond what would be reasonably necessary for successful deployment, and opened up new risks for consumers.
Second, and more broadly: People are skeptical of government and big business alike. For AVs to serve the public, and for the potential of the technology to be realized, consumers need to be able to trust that there is rigorous independent oversight, and meaningful accountability, as we demand in aviation.
Despite the skepticism that exists, according to a December 2024 nationally representative Consumer Reports survey, the results of which are publicly available on our website, two-thirds of Americans believe AVs should be held to stricter safety standards than traditional vehicles, and just 3% believe safety standards for AVs should be less strict than for traditional passenger vehicles.
Ultimately, it’s time to try something different on federal legislation, and for all of us here to urge a new approach. If done right, a strong, sensible federal law is the most impactful step that could be taken to support a safe system nationwide.
Fundamentally, this means lawmakers should scale back the bill and be more selective about what’s included. They should make the reforms that are necessary, without undercutting federalism and what works in consumer protection and our auto safety system. Congress should demonstrate some humility about AV policymaking, and continue to allow for experimentation and iteration at the state and local level. In areas where there isn’t already a binding safety standard, citizens, their elected representatives, and the state and local officials that are accountable to them should be able to decide what works best for their community, as part of an open and accessible process. These officials must be able to manage the operation of AVs to address concerns such as safety, accessibility, and congestion—just as they do for traditional vehicles.
The bill should emphasize regulating the right way, through safety research, performance standards, and timely enforcement. Responsible pilot programs could be a part of the equation too.
The bill should ensure safety and innovation go hand-in-hand, by requiring useful and efficient reporting of safety data, and by strengthening NHTSA so that it is better-funded, well-staffed, and agile as AVs continue developing.
We ask everyone here today to join us in supporting this approach, which would meaningfully support the development of AVs that consumers can trust are safe. This trust is essential, and must not be underestimated, if the technology is going to achieve its vast promise. Thank you.