As the U.S. House votes this week on legislation that would speed the deployment of self-driving cars, a new column from the Center for American Progress says that Congress should consider the environmental impact of having more of these vehicles on the road.
Carbon emissions from cars are already a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and some experts suggest an influx of self-driving cars may undercut public transportation systems, increasing these harmful emissions, says the column from Myriam Alexander-Kearns, a policy analyst for Energy and Environment at CAP.
So far, states and the federal government have focused primarily on safety and cybersecurity when it comes to crafting regulations for self-driving cars. But lawmakers should also examine how to deploy automated vehicles in the most environmentally and climate-friendly way possible, Alexander-Kearns says. That could include promoting the use of electric vehicles.
Read the column, “Legislation Should Consider the Environmental Impacts of Self-Driving Cars,” by Myriam Alexander-Kearns.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327,