The US House of Representatives [official website] on Tuesday approved legislation [HR 3388 materials] to allow self-driving cars into the marketplace.

The Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution (SELF DRIVE) Act will allow 100,000 autonomous vehicles into the market as long as they meet the federal regulation standards.

The purpose of the bill is to speed up the testing of automation and determine the requisite safety standards, which have had issues in local courts [JURIST op-ed]. This legislation would prevent states from blocking or adding requirements that are not in accordance with those set forth in the guidelines. The bill would also establish a council and mandate a review of the data collected from these 100,000 vehicles to determine the best regulations and safety features.

Additionally, the bill would require manufacturers to ensure the safety regulations also included cyber security measures:

A manufacturer may not sell, offer for sale, introduce or deliver for introduction into commerce, or import into the United States, any highly automated vehicle, vehicle that performs partial driving automation, or automated driving system unless such manufacturer has developed a cybersecurity plan.

Manufactures would also be required to have a written privacy plan to ensure automated vehicles to not violate the rights of the owners or occupants. The plans and the information collected from the council will be made available to consumers before they purchase the vehicles.

The measure now goes to the senate for approval.