On July 29, 2026, POLITICO PRO quoted Ariel Wolf discussing renewed congressional efforts to establish a federal framework for autonomous vehicles following recent incidents in San Francisco.
According to the article, Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.) has introduced the AV Emergency Response Coordination Act, which would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish minimum national emergency response standards for autonomous vehicle operators. The proposal comes amid broader discussions in Congress over how to create consistent rules governing autonomous vehicle deployment while ensuring coordination with first responders.
Commenting on the proposal, Wolf noted that the autonomous vehicle industry has long sought greater regulatory consistency across jurisdictions.
"We've seen now for 10 years and more a difficulty in having different states take different approaches, and in some cases localities," Wolf said. "So the idea of looking at this issue from a federal lens or a national lens certainly can have merit, but it'll depend on the details."
Read the article here.