Seattle’s Autonomous Vehicle Approach

Under existing Washington State law, private companies and makers of autonomous vehicles (also called AVs or self-driving cars) can test them on public roads. We’re working on making sure autonomous vehicles work for everyone in our city. This includes how they are tested, regulated, and used. Our goal is to make sure AVs benefit all communities, especially those that have been left out before.

Here’s what you need to know: 

Seattle’s Goals with AVs 

SDOT plans to actively involve community members in all stages of AV development and set expectations for AV companies to adopt a transparent framework to share safety data, develop fair pricing for users, and create accessible designs, using the following principles to guide us: 

• Community First: We’re listening to your needs to guide our decisions about AVs.
• Fair Pricing: AV rides should be affordable, and services should include tools for everyone, like wheelchair-accessible vehicles. We’re pushing for prices that work for everyone, especially families and people with lower incomes. 
• Safer Streets: We’ll hold AV companies to high safety standards and transparency to make sure any safety benefits of AVs are felt by all. 
• Cleaner Environment: We’ll work with providers to create more options for people to not rely on a personal vehicle as we work towards our climate goals. 
• Protecting Jobs: We’re asking AV companies to help workers adapt by creating new job opportunities and offering support to those affected by automation. 
• Learning Together: We’ll explain the services available and keep you informed on AVs.