Elon Musk Lobbies for Autonomous Vehicle Legislation, Pushing Tesla's AI Agenda

Elon Musk is lobbying lawmakers on driverless vehicle rules | TechCrunch

Elon Musk may have stepped away from his duties as the lead of the Department of Government Efficiency and adviser to President Trump, but he's still active in D.C. circles. This time, he's on the other side, lobbying lawmakers on legislation related to autonomous vehicles, according to a report by Bloomberg that cited unnamed sources. Musk and others in his orbit have been calling members of Congress directly, according to Bloomberg. His efforts appear to be directed at a bill introduced May 15 called the Autonomous Vehicle Acceleration Act. Musk has bet much of Tesla's future on AI, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. He has frequently tied the company's value to its investment and eventual commercialization of autonomous vehicles. And next month, Tesla is expected to launch a small and geofenced robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Tesla also wants to eventually roll out autonomous vehicles -- branded Cybercabs -- that don't have a steering wheel or pedals. But today there is not clear federal rules or standards to allow such a vehicle to operate at scale.

Elon Musk Lobbies For Support From Lawmakers On Legislation For Self-Driving Cars: Report - Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)

Tesla Inc. TSLA CEO Elon Musk is actively lobbying U.S. lawmakers to establish a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles. Musk, alongside his team, has been directly contacting Congress members to rally support for this initiative, according to a Bloomberg report. In recent weeks, Musk has been involved in discussions about revising a bill introduced on May 15, which aims to establish a basic framework for autonomous vehicles. The options under consideration include fast-tracking the bill or proposing a more comprehensive measure before the July 4 recess, according to sources familiar with the matter. During a Friday press conference at the Oval Office, Musk confirmed his continued advisory role to President Donald Trump, despite stepping down from the Department of Government Efficiency. The White House deputy press secretary, Harrison Fields, emphasized that the administration's policy is focused on achieving the president's agenda. See Also: Over 20 BYD Dealerships Shut Down In China Amid Expansion To Europe, Impacting 1,000+ Customers: Report Why It Matters: The push for federal support on autonomous vehicles is crucial as Tesla prepares to launch its Robotaxi service in Austin on June 12. The company has accelerated its Full Self-Driving (FSD) testing, aiming to meet this deadline. However, the launch remains tentative, dependent on regulatory approvals. Tesla also intends to introduce Cybercabs, pending federal approval for vehicles without steering wheels or pedals. Analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities views Musk's departure from a White House role as a positive shift, allowing Musk to concentrate on Tesla's autonomous vehicle ambitions. This renewed focus is seen as a promising development for shareholders. Despite the enthusiasm, some industry experts, like Gary Black of Future Fund LLC, express concerns over unsupervised autonomous driving. Black has repeatedly cautioned investors about the risks associated with such technology, particularly as Tesla gears up for its upcoming launch. Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link. Read Next: OpenAI Secures $11.6B For Texas Data Center Expansion, Reducing Microsoft Dependence Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors Photo courtesy: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com TSLATesla Inc$345.52-3.60%Stock Score Locked: Edge Members Only Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Unlock RankingsEdge RankingsMomentum94.46Growth91.89Quality88.56Value8.35Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs