Group Asks to Make Way for Adoption of Autonomous Cars

A group of company and former military leaders wishes to limit states’ capability to regulate driverless automobiles, requiring sweeping federal legislation to prevent a patchwork of guidelines they believe could prevent adoption of the technologically advanced cars.

Executives consisting of FedEx Corp. Chief Executive Fred Smith and retired U.S. generals associated with a Washington group that lobbies to minimize America’s oil reliance strategy to consult with politicians in the country’s capital on Thursday to discuss suggestions for speeding introduction of driverless cars. Others expected to be present consist of John Krafcik, head of the self-driving car department at Alphabet Inc.

In addition to restricting states’ governing efforts, the group desires a U.S. legal liability fund created to reduce issues over lawsuits that might emerge in skirmishes over whether motorists or computers are at fault in crashes.

The propositions aren’t likely to acquire immediate traction on Capitol Hill, where Republican lawmakers are at loggerheads with the Obama administration on a range of fronts throughout a presidential election year. Instead, they are likely to contribute to ongoing discussions picking up steam in Washington, Silicon Valley, Detroit and in other places over the best ways to best to manage driverless-car technology speeding to market.