New Transportation Department panel on automation to weigh in on self-driving cars

The U.S. Transportation Department has created an advisory committee on automation filled with representatives from the auto industry, ride-hailing companies, universities and the mayor of Los Angeles. The committee will hold its first meeting Monday to discuss automation issues, such as the development and deployment of self-driving cars. The committee will be co-chaired by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Mary Barra, chief executive of General Motors Co., which bought the self-driving technology firm Cruise Automation last year and is working with ride-hailing company Lyft to develop driverless taxis. The brain trust will play a "critical role" in describing challenges, opportunities and best practices in automation, and also "will open lines of communication" to help stakeholders learn from each other, according to a statement Wednesday from the department. Other committee members include representatives from companies with autonomous vehicle aspirations such as Uber Technologies Inc., Delphi Automotive and Lyft, as well as other interested parties like Apple, the American Trucking Assns.