Congress demands public safety data from self-driving cars
S. 3742 — AV Safety Data Act · Filed by Ed Markey (D-MA) · Introduced Jan 29, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires manufacturers and operators of autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars) and Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems to report detailed safety data to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), including monthly reports on miles traveled, collisions involving vulnerable road users, and 'unplanned stoppage events' (when the vehicle stops unexpectedly on a public road). The data must be made publicly available online in machine-readable format within 120 days, allowing researchers, regulators, and the public to track autonomous vehicle safety performance.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is mandating public disclosure of autonomous vehicle safety data to NHTSA and the public. It is a transparency and accountability measure, not a subsidy, deregulation, or industry carve-out.
What the text implies
- Public data release may accelerate competitive pressure on manufacturers with poor safety records, potentially affecting market share and stock valuations of lagging AV developers.
- The 10-year window before NHTSA can reduce reporting requirements creates a long-term data collection baseline, locking in transparency obligations even if political pressure later favors deregulation.
- Detailed location and timestamp data on unplanned stoppages could enable mapping of AV failure hotspots, potentially exposing infrastructure or environmental vulnerabilities that manufacturers would prefer to keep private.
- Machine-readable format requirement enables third-party analysis and algorithmic comparison of safety records across manufacturers, reducing information asymmetry between companies and the public.
Who it affects
Ordinary citizens gain transparency into autonomous vehicle safety performance and incident data, enabling informed decisions about road safety and vehicle adoption. Public access to this data strengthens regulatory oversight and allows independent researchers and advocates to monitor whether self-driving technology is safe before widespread deployment.
Who stands to gain
- autonomous vehicle manufacturers with strong safety records
- insurance companies (better risk assessment data)
- safety-focused AV startups
- data analytics and research firms
Named in the bill
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Third Amended Standing General Order 2021-01, Automated Driving System (ADS), Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), vulnerable road users
Where it stands
- Jan 29, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
- Jan 29, 2026 — Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the full bill text on Jul 5, 2026; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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