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S. 1885: AV START Act

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S. 1885: AV START Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-09-28 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 268.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-09-28 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 268. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

AV START Act

Plain summary

American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies Act or the AV START Act This bill: (1) establishes a framework for a federal role in ensuring the safety of highly automated vehicles (HAVs); (2) preempts states from adopting, maintaining, or enforcing any law, rule, or standard regulating an HAV or automated driving system (ADS) regarding certain safety evaluation report subject areas; (3) sets forth conditions under which HAVs may be introduced into interstate commerce for testing, evaluation, or demonstration; and (4) applies certain safety exemptions to HAVs. The Department of Transportation shall: (1) establish a technical committee on HAV and ADS safety, (2) establish a working group on ADS education efforts, and (3) research the traffic safety implications of HAVs. Each HAV or ADS manufacturer shall execute a written plan for identifying and reducing cybersecurity risks. HAV Data Access Advisory Committee Act The Department of Commerce shall establish the HAV Data Access Advisory Committee to provide a forum to discuss and make policy recommendations with respect to the information or data that vehicles collect, generate, record, or store in an electronic form that is retrieved from an HAV or ADS. Commerce shall: develop educational cybersecurity resources to assist consumers in minimizing potential motor vehicle cybersecurity risks; initiate a study on impacts of HAVs on transportation infrastructure, mobility, the environment, and fuel consumption; study ways to encourage U.S. manufacturing of automated driving equipment; and issue a final rule regarding a child safety system to alert motor vehicle operators to check rear designated seating positions after the engine is deactivated. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration shall create a publicly accessible database containing information collected about individuals during motor vehicle operation and privacy policies and protections.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

AV START Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 1885, AV START Act (2017-11-08)

Cosponsors on this site

Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] reported raising $4.7 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Exemption
A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-s1885 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115