Overly Quoted in Law360 about Transportation Legislation and Regulation to Watch in 2019

Partner Michael Overly was quoted in the Law360 article, “Transportation Legislation and Regulation to Watch in 2019,” about what the new year will hold for autonomous car regulation and legislation.

While the Trump administration has stuck to its promise of remaining flexible in developing new regulations for autonomous vehicles, there is concern about what state and local governments might do. What we’re seeing with autonomous vehicles is we have the feds not yet really putting specific laws other than recommendations and guidance and principles, but we have states running around making lots of law,” Overly told Law360. “An automobile is a long lead item meaning you cannot turn car production on a dime.”

So it makes it difficult for auto manufacturers to get a handle on the federal guidance, with the prospect of diving into their monthslong or yearslong production process only to have it potentially upended if a state decides to enact a law pertaining to self-driving cars, Overly said.

“That is a tough item to try and design to at the last minute,” he added. “There are concerns that right now there’s too much uncertainty and everyone is proceeding ahead trying their very best, but worried that a particular state may enact something that will cause significant strain.”