Federal Laws Sought for Driverless Cars

A group of business and former military leaders wants to limit states' ability to regulate driverless cars, calling for sweeping federal legislation to avoid a patchwork of rules they believe could hinder adoption of the technologically advanced vehicles. Executives including FedEx Corp. Chief Executive Fred Smith and retired U.S. generals associated with a Washington group that lobbies to reduce America's oil dependence plan to meet with politicians in the nation's capital on Thursday to discuss recommendations for speeding introduction of driverless cars. Others expected to be present include John Krafcik, head of the self-driving car division at Google parent Alphabet Inc. In addition to limiting states' regulatory efforts, the group wants a U.S. legal liability fund created to ease concerns over lawsuits that could arise in skirmishes over whether drivers or computers are at fault in crashes. The proposals aren't likely to gain immediate traction on Capitol Hill, where Republican lawmakers are at loggerheads with the Obama administration on a variety of fronts during a presidential election year.