DC Wants AVs

Dear DC Councilmembers,

Thank you for engaging on the autonomous vehicle debate this year. Every DC resident deserves safe, reliable transportation. We are encouraged by Mayor-elect Janeese Lewis George's comment that she wants to get AV deployment right, and we urge you to follow through on creating a clear framework for autonomous vehicles (AVs) to operate in the District in 2027.

Thirty seven people have already died on DC roads in 2026 — more than double the total from this point last year. A driverless vehicle never texts, never drives drunk, and never falls asleep at the wheel. That matters. So does access. Thousands of our neighbors who are seniors or have disabilities depend on paratransit or family members just to get around. AVs could give them the freedom to go where they want, when they want. And for families in wards far from a Metro stop, a driverless car that comes to your door could be a lifeline.

DC has permitted AV testing since 2013. It is time to move from testing to access. Tell the Council to that DC is ready for AVs.