Senators pressed witnesses on whether and how Congress should craft a national framework for autonomous commercial vehicles, focusing on worker protections, safety testing and a single federal standard to avoid a patchwork of state rules.

Chris Spear of the American Trucking Associations told the subcommittee that levels 1–4 automation improve safety and productivity while a true level‑5 driverless truck remains distant. “The first 4 require a driver, you know, engaged in the operation of the commercial vehicle. Level 5 is driverless. We're a long ways from deploying that widespread,” Spear said.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien urged precautions and employment safeguards. “We need human operators in these vehicles,” O’Brien said, calling for protections so workers displaced by automation have job opportunities. He framed automation as both a public‑safety issue and a labor concern: “If we replace 3,500,000 drivers, where do they go and what do they do?”

Key policy themes emerged in the hearing: lawmakers asked for a single national standard rather than differing state laws; witnesses recommended staged deployment tied to testing and public‑safety metrics; and unions proposed job‑protection measures and collective‑bargaining safeguards to accompany automation adoption. Spear also argued that technology and labor can coexist, pointing to port automation negotiations as an example where productivity and union jobs were advanced together.

Senators emphasized that an effective framework should address interstate commerce, consistent safety rules, robust testing and transitional workforce supports. No regulatory changes were adopted at the hearing; senators asked DOT and FMCSA to help craft standards that balance technology adoption with safety and labor protections.