WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan today said he has introduced legislation which could help promote and pay for technology which will someday give drivers and their vehicles infrastructure updates on safety conditions and traffic jams.
Peters, a Democrat, is sponsoring the measure along with U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., which would allow states to use existing federal transportation funds doled out to programs for highway safety and certain other improvements for vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) projects.
U.S. Reps. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, and Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield, had already introduced a companion bill in February in the U.S. House, where it awaits consideration by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of which Miller is a member. She is also expected to push it as part of a long-term highway funding bill.
"Connected vehicles and infrastructure are the next frontier of the American auto industry," Peters said, noting that much of the research into vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications is occurring in Michigan. "We must ensure that states can make the necessary investments to implement these critical safety technologies."