Democratic wave has robotaxi industry sweating
Axios · Joann Muller ·
Tuesday's Democratic election sweep could tap the brakes on the autonomous vehicle industry's ambitious growth plans.
- The industry's hopes for federal legislation overriding state and local rules "just became a pipe dream," said Rob Grant, AV policy expert and cofounder of Autnmy AI.
The big picture: Congress has tried and failed for nearly a decade to establish national rules for autonomous vehicles.
- Although early bills attracted bipartisan support, Democrats lately have opposed industry-backed proposals, citing concerns about safety, labor protections and whether federal regulations should override state laws.