Major automakers unveiled more than a dozen policy proposals Wednesday they say would make it easier to roll out autonomous vehicles on a large scale in the coming years. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation -- which represents most major automakers including General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV -- among other things asked federal policymakers to create a new vehicle class for AVs, and asked state policymakers to harmonize their policies to make it easier for automakers to test and deploy AVs across different states. "We are releasing this policy roadmap now because we are at a critical time in the development of this technology. Companies have invested billions of dollars into the research and development of this technology and those investments are paying off," said John Bozzella, president of the Alliance. "As our companies start to make plans and critical decisions about where and how and when to build and deploy these technologies, they need to know that policies are in place here in the U.S. that will support those plans and those decisions."