Issues

U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce announced an upcoming hearing on comprehensive federal privacy legislation. The hearing will discuss the bipartisan, bicameral privacy legislation draft released last week by Chairman Frank Pallone, Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Senator Roger Wicker. “Americans need to know they are in…

According to a new report by EV charging station company ChargePoint, electric vehicle sales are expected to exceed 14 million globally by 2025. This estimate is more than double 2021 sales. EV sales are accelerating rapidly, with total sales for 2021 doubling to surpass half a million– 4.5 percent of the market share for new…

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week that Dr. Steven Cliff has been confirmed as the 16th Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Dr. Cliff previously led the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and has been serving as the Deputy Administrator of NHTSA since January. From his deep academic background to…

Vehicle manufacturers are ramping up production of electric vehicles (EVs), with some companies, such as General Motors, promising an all-electric fleet as soon as 2035. However, efforts to build a national network of EV charging stations are slow-moving, even with investment from the federal government. States already received $424 million that can be used for…

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that crash-avoidance features or teen-specific vehicle technologies have the potential to prevent up to 75 percent of fatal crashes involving teen drivers. These technologies include automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane departure technology, and collision warnings, which are mostly found in newer vehicles. Motor…

The U.S. Senate Small Business Committee held a markup yesterday for S. 1687, The Small Business Cyber Training Act of 2021. The Committee voted to favorably recommend this bill for passage by the full U.S. Senate. If passed, this legislation would create a program to train counselors at Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to provide…

President Biden released his $5.8 trillion budget proposal today for FY 2023. The budget includes $105 billion for the U.S. Department of Transportation, funding important agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA). The U.S. Department of Transportation Budget proposal includes provisions for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, investments in autonomous…

This week, John Deere announced intentions to expand access to self-repair resources for consumers and independent repair shops. Earlier this month, two federal lawsuits were filed against the agriculture equipment manufacturer alleging that the company was engaging in unfair competitive practices by restricting the access of consumers and independent repair shops to service information and…