Texas lawmakers are pushing for new regulations requiring fleets of autonomous vehicles to get special permits and register with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.

The details: If passed, companies will need to notify the state before deploying any driverless trucks or cars. The rules will only apply to commercial and fleet vehicles, not privately owned autonomous ones.

• The goal is to track the performance and issues of these autonomous fleets more effectively.
• Senator Robert Nichols, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, emphasized that the state needs a framework for these vehicles. “We want to know about it,” he said.

Why it matters: Federal law already mandates that manufacturers report any crashes involving autonomous vehicles. However, Texas wants to take it a step further to ensure thorough oversight.

The proposed legislation is meant to balance supporting innovation while keeping an eye on the industry’s ups and downs, reported the Houston Chronicle.