Overview
- The Senate Commerce Committee is taking testimony Wednesday from Waymo safety chief Mauricio Peña, Tesla vehicle engineering vice president Lars Moravy, and AV Industry Association CEO Jeff Farrah.
- Waymo remains under a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probe tied to at least 19 reports of its vehicles passing stopped school buses in Austin.
- The company says it is cooperating with the NTSB and NHTSA on a Santa Monica incident in which a Waymo vehicle braked from 17 mph to under 6 mph before contacting a student.
- Waymo and Tesla urge Congress to replace state-by-state rules with a national framework, citing safety, deployment certainty, and the risk that China could set global standards first.
- Committee leaders signal differing emphases, with Sen. Ted Cruz calling current rules outdated as Sen. Eric Schmitt underscores public concerns over safety, privacy, and practical usage.