Virginia’s Senate passed legislation last week that would create a regulatory framework for autonomous trucking and ride-hailing services in the state, with the bill’s sponsor saying self-driving vehicles could begin operating as early as 2028 if the measure clears the General Assembly and wins the governor’s signature. The Senate approved the bill 35–4. It is currently in subcommittee in the House of Delegates.
The bill would not immediately place self-driving cars and trucks on Virginia roads. Sen. Saddam Salim (D-37), the legislation’s chief patron, described it as the opening step in a multi-year process involving regulatory development, licensing procedures, and likely additional legislation before any commercial deployment begins.
How the process would work
If the House approves the bill with amendments, the Senate would need to pass it again before the measure reaches Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk. Salim said Spanberger would have until April 22 to sign it into law.
Companies like Waymo, which operates driverless ride-hail services in several U.S. cities, would be among those eligible to apply for operating licenses under the framework. Salim said he does not anticipate a licensing registration process being operational before July 2027 at the earliest, and that the Virginia Department of Transportation could seek additional legislation to establish further guardrails.
“The purpose of this bill was to ensure that there is a framework to start this off, so that we continue the conversation around what these types of autonomous vehicles are going to look like, how they’re going to interact with Virginia and why it’s necessary,” Salim said.
A small-batch start
Salim said he envisions initial deployment as limited in scale — a small pilot in selected markets, with any expansion contingent on results. He pointed to gaps in existing ride-hail coverage as a primary rationale, including difficulty finding Uber and Lyft drivers during early morning hours in urban areas and limited transportation access in rural parts of the state.
The senator also cited riders with disabilities as a population that could benefit, noting that some drivers on existing ride-hail platforms cancel trips when passengers travel with service animals.
“These autonomous vehicles will go to fill that gap in, for some of the folks that have had difficulties finding public transportation, or just any type of transportation in general,” he said.
Labor and regional coordination
On labor, Salim said he expects project labor agreements covering maintenance and customer service positions to accompany any deployments. He added that he is coordinating with lawmakers in neighboring Maryland and the District of Columbia, where similar legislation is under consideration, to ensure regional consistency.
“I want to make sure we align ourselves from the legal side, where these vehicles are not going to stop by the vehicles on the river or halfway on the bridge where they’re trying to come across,” he said.
National debate ongoing
Autonomous vehicle policy remains contested nationally. Some research suggests self-driving vehicles may have lower crash rates than human-driven vehicles. Critics have raised concerns about job displacement and the possibility that cheaper automated travel could increase car dependency.