The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is urging Congress to reject new federal legislation intended to establish a national regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles, warning that the bill would allow driverless heavy-duty trucks to operate on U.S. highways without sufficient safety oversight, transparency, or cybersecurity safeguards.
In a March 9 letter to leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the trucking group formally opposed H.R. 7390, the SELF DRIVE Act of 2026, arguing that the legislation would rely too heavily on manufacturer self-certification rather than independent verification of autonomous vehicle safety.
The opposition comes as Congress attempts to revive federal autonomous vehicle legislation after years of stalled efforts. As ACT News previously reported, lawmakers recently introduced a framework designed to establish national rules governing autonomous vehicles, including provisions intended to accelerate development and deployment of automated systems across the transportation sector.
OOIDA, which represents small-business truckers and professional drivers, said the proposed legislation fails to adequately address the unique risks associated with deploying driverless heavy-duty trucks.
The group’s primary concern centers on how the bill would allow autonomous trucks weighing up to 80,000 pounds to operate based largely on company-developed safety cases without mandatory government review.
Under the bill, manufacturers would be required to prepare documentation explaining how their systems operate safely, but they would only need to provide that information to the Department of Transportation upon request.
OOIDA argues that approach effectively creates a self-certification system for autonomous commercial vehicles.
“This amounts to self-certification for the use of heavy-duty trucks on our nation’s roads,” the letter states, adding that the public would have little ability to verify whether those vehicles are operating safely.
The association also raised concerns about cybersecurity protections in the legislation. The bill requires manufacturers to maintain written cybersecurity policies but does not specify technical standards or require third-party verification of those protections.
According to OOIDA, the lack of clear cybersecurity requirements could expose autonomous trucking systems to vulnerabilities similar to those seen in the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. The group cited previous research and an FBI bulletin warning that insecure ELD systems could allow hackers to access vehicle data or disrupt fleet operations.
Another issue highlighted in the letter involves regulatory gaps related to commercial driver qualifications and federal safety rules.
OOIDA argues that the legislation does not clearly define how existing Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations — including commercial driver’s license requirements, hours-of-service rules, and drug and alcohol testing standards — would apply to vehicles operating with automated driving systems or remote operators.
The group said those requirements remain essential even in highly automated systems, particularly if a human operator may need to intervene during system disengagements.
“Whether a vehicle is operated directly by a driver behind the wheel or by a remote assistant monitoring and potentially assuming control, the individual performing that function must hold a valid CDL,” the organization wrote.
The letter also calls for greater transparency from autonomous vehicle developers, arguing that safety and performance data should be publicly reported before large-scale deployment occurs. The current bill only requires companies to report information after a crash, which OOIDA said is insufficient.
“Measures to advance automated technology should be met with mandatory data transparency from AV companies,” the group wrote, adding that professional drivers should not have to “wait until something goes wrong” to learn about the safety of vehicles operating on public roads.
OOIDA ultimately urged lawmakers to reject the bill and instead develop a regulatory framework that includes independent safety validation, stronger cybersecurity protections, and clearer regulatory standards for autonomous commercial vehicles.
The debate reflects the broader tension surrounding autonomous trucking policy in the United States. While federal lawmakers and technology companies have increasingly pushed for a national framework to accelerate deployment, many trucking groups continue to argue that existing safety regulations and operational realities of heavy-duty freight require additional scrutiny before driverless trucks are widely deployed.
