Know Before You Drive Act

The Know Before You Drive Act would establish consumer protection rules for partially automated vehicles, such as those with advanced driver assistance features. If enacted, manufacturers would be prohibited from making misleading claims that suggest their partially automated systems are fully autonomous. Within 180 days of enactment, manufacturers could not represent that partial automation features function as complete self-driving systems.

Under the bill, manufacturers and dealers would be required to provide clear notices to buyers describing the vehicle's automated features, its capabilities and limitations, and the conditions where the system may not operate properly. Additionally, when manufacturers release software updates that materially change how the automated system performs, they would need to notify vehicle owners about those changes. Violations would be treated as unfair or deceptive practices under federal consumer protection law, enforceable by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.