[NFBV-Announce] Important update on Automaded Vehicles

[jackibruce6 at gmail.com]

>From Deepa Goraya

 

An important update on automated vehicles and the Thune Amendment. The
National Federation of the Blind has been working with Senator John Thune on
an amendment to the United Sates Innovation and Competition Act. This
amendment relates to fully automated vehicles and contains two provisions
that would benefit blind people.

 

The first provision would create an exemption classification for
manufacturers who "provide transportation access for individuals with
disabilities (as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)), including non-visual access for individuals who
are blind or visually impaired," as long as the vehicle was equivalently
safe to a non-exempt vehicle. The second would prohibit a state from issuing
a "motor vehicle operator's license for the operation or use of a highly
automated vehicle in a manner that discriminates on the basis of
disability." 

 

Despite support from both automobile manufacturers and disability advocates,
Senator Thune reluctantly withdrew his amendment on May 12 due to a lack of
support from other senators on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Committee over safety and liability concerns. President Riccobono wrote a
letter to Chair Cantwell and Ranking Member Wicker
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/policy-statements/letter-chair-c
antwell-thune-amendment-endless-frontier-act>  regarding this topic
expressing our support and endorsement of the Thune amendment on May 11. 

 

The United Sates Innovation and Competition Act had been moved to the Senate
floor for debate and Senator Thune planned to bring his amendment forward
for a full Senate vote. The US Innovation and Competition Act did not pass
but the Senate did come to an agreement as to which amendments would be
voted on before the final vote on the bill. The Thune amendment was not one
of these amendments.

 

However, the National Federation of the Blind (along with the automated
vehicle industry) still supports this amendment. There are a couple of
scenarios. First, it can be included in another bill. Second, once the US
Innovation and Competition Act is passed in the Senate, it will go to the
House. The House has a companion bill (still called the Endless Frontier
Act). It is unclear whether the House will try to pass its version of the
bill or simply pass the Senate version. So, there might still be an
opportunity to get this in the US Innovation and Competition Act in the
House. If not, we can continue to urge Congress to include it in another
bill.

 

We should continue to educate members of Congress on the benefits of fully
automated vehicles and urge them to support the provisions in the Thune
amendment, especially the provisions applicable to blind people and
nonvisual accessibility. Once we identify another opportunity to include
this amendment in a specific bill, either in the House or Senate, we will
need to inundate Congress with our calls and emails.

Please contact your senators and educate them on the benefits of fully
automated vehicles and urge them to support the provisions in the Thune
amendment.

 

You can contact your senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking
for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. If you email your
senators, please copy Jeff Kaloc at jkaloc at nfb.org <mailto:jkaloc at nfb.org> .
Your calls and emails do make a difference.

 

Pasted below are our Virginia Senate offices with the contact info of a
specific staff member dedicated to transportation.

 

Stephanie           Doherty               Sen.       Mark     Warner VA
stephanie_doherty at warner.senate.gov
<mailto:stephanie_doherty at warner.senate.gov> 

 

Evan      McWalters          Sen.       Timothy               Kaine     VA
evan_mcwalters at kaine.senate.gov <mailto:evan_mcwalters at kaine.senate.gov> 

 

Sincerely,

 

Deepa Goraya

NFBV Co-Legislative Director

 

Deepinder K. Goraya, Esq

 





 

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