Self-driving technology would benefit from bipartisan legislation to “prioritize protections for consumers, enhance cybersecurity protections, reaffirm the role and responsibilities of federal and state governments” and update federal motor vehicle standards to account for advances in technology, said Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., in an op-ed in Monday's Detroit Free Press. They said they've been working on the bipartisan legislation, Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution Act (Self-Drive) Act (HR-3388), which the House passed unanimously in September (see 1709060035) that would grant automakers exemptions from safety standards to test more vehicles and would pre-empt state laws that the auto industry said would create a patchwork of regulations. The North American International Auto Show is this week, exhibiting mobility-focused technologies in vehicles, and some lawmakers will be there. Tuesday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation recommended policy principles for connected vehicle policy issues: support vehicle-to-everything (V2X) infrastructure; promote national cooperation and interoperability for V2X; incentivize companies to protect consumers; ensure regulations are technology neutral; rely on transparent industry-led standards for data protection; restrict scope creep for regulators overseeing connected vehicle privacy; allow vehicle owners to access and use their own data; and permit after-market modifications and repairs while protecting copyright holders’ rights.

Self-driving technology would benefit from bipartisan legislation to “prioritize protections for consumers, enhance cybersecurity protections, reaffirm the role and responsibilities of federal and state governments” and update federal motor vehicle standards to account for advances in technology, said Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., in an op-ed in Monday's Detroit Free Press. They said they've been working on the bipartisan legislation, Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution Act (Self-Drive) Act (HR-3388), which the House passed unanimously in September (see 1709060035) that would grant automakers exemptions from safety standards to test more vehicles and would pre-empt state laws that the auto industry said would create a patchwork of regulations. The North American International Auto Show is this week, exhibiting mobility-focused technologies in vehicles, and some lawmakers will be there. Tuesday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation recommended policy principles for connected vehicle policy issues: support vehicle-to-everything (V2X) infrastructure; promote national cooperation and interoperability for V2X; incentivize companies to protect consumers; ensure regulations are technology neutral; rely on transparent industry-led standards for data protection; restrict scope creep for regulators overseeing connected vehicle privacy; allow vehicle owners to access and use their own data; and permit after-market modifications and repairs while protecting copyright holders’ rights.

Self-driving technology would benefit from bipartisan legislation to “prioritize protections for consumers, enhance cybersecurity protections, reaffirm the role and responsibilities of federal and state governments” and update federal motor vehicle standards to account for advances in technology, said Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., in an op-ed in Monday's Detroit Free Press. They said they've been working on the bipartisan legislation, Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution Act (Self-Drive) Act (HR-3388), which the House passed unanimously in September (see 1709060035) that would grant automakers exemptions from safety standards to test more vehicles and would pre-empt state laws that the auto industry said would create a patchwork of regulations. The North American International Auto Show is this week, exhibiting mobility-focused technologies in vehicles, and some lawmakers will be there. Tuesday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation recommended policy principles for connected vehicle policy issues: support vehicle-to-everything (V2X) infrastructure; promote national cooperation and interoperability for V2X; incentivize companies to protect consumers; ensure regulations are technology neutral; rely on transparent industry-led standards for data protection; restrict scope creep for regulators overseeing connected vehicle privacy; allow vehicle owners to access and use their own data; and permit after-market modifications and repairs while protecting copyright holders’ rights.

Phone and electric cooperatives may be best equipped to spread fiber broadband across rural America, but are often overlooked, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance reported Tuesday. USTelecom said deploying broadband in rural areas is a priority for its big ISP members and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said it’s best to support incumbent ISPs except in the most unserved areas. The Phoenix Center supported cooperatives deploying broadband so long as they don’t partner with municipal networks.

Phone and electric cooperatives may be best equipped to spread fiber broadband across rural America, but are often overlooked, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance reported Tuesday. USTelecom said deploying broadband in rural areas is a priority for its big ISP members and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said it’s best to support incumbent ISPs except in the most unserved areas. The Phoenix Center supported cooperatives deploying broadband so long as they don’t partner with municipal networks.

Nearly 91 percent of government websites don't meet at least one key performance measure, with a third falling short on security standards, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reported Monday. Little progress has been made since ITIF's 2016 study (see 1703080055), said Vice President Daniel Castro, urging the Trump administration to "move quickly to address these failures." The report analyzed 469 of the "most popular" federal sites, building on a 2016 analysis of 297. Report rankings are based on metrics including page-load speed, mobile friendliness, accessibility and security. Vote.gov earned the highest ranking, 95.5, and federalreserve.gov scored lowest, 36.5. The National Institute of Standards and Technology's nist.gov ranked third with 87.2; fcc.gov had 81.7 and ftc.gov, 76.5. Recommendations include the government launching a website modernization sprint and requiring all federal agencies report site analytics.

Nearly 91 percent of government websites don't meet at least one key performance measure, with a third falling short on security standards, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reported Monday. Little progress has been made since ITIF's 2016 study (see 1703080055), said Vice President Daniel Castro, urging the Trump administration to "move quickly to address these failures." The report analyzed 469 of the "most popular" federal sites, building on a 2016 analysis of 297. Report rankings are based on metrics including page-load speed, mobile friendliness, accessibility and security. Vote.gov earned the highest ranking, 95.5, and federalreserve.gov scored lowest, 36.5. The National Institute of Standards and Technology's nist.gov ranked third with 87.2; fcc.gov had 81.7 and ftc.gov, 76.5. Recommendations include the government launching a website modernization sprint and requiring all federal agencies report site analytics.

Massachusetts, California, Washington, Virginia and Delaware lead states in a globalized economy, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said. The lowest-scoring was Mississippi, preceded by Arkansas, West Virginia, Wyoming and Louisiana. Massachusetts ranked first in every ITIF index since 1999; Mississippi got last place in every one except 2007 when it was 49th. Nebraska and Tennessee each climbed eight places -- to 28th and 32nd -- since the last ranking in 2014, while Alaska dropped 10 to 42. States should invest in big firms that invest heavily in research and development, while rolling back policies that “stack preferences in favor of small businesses,” ITIF President Robert Atkinson said Monday.

Massachusetts, California, Washington, Virginia and Delaware lead states in a globalized economy, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said. The lowest-scoring was Mississippi, preceded by Arkansas, West Virginia, Wyoming and Louisiana. Massachusetts ranked first in every ITIF index since 1999; Mississippi got last place in every one except 2007 when it was 49th. Nebraska and Tennessee each climbed eight places -- to 28th and 32nd -- since the last ranking in 2014, while Alaska dropped 10 to 42. States should invest in big firms that invest heavily in research and development, while rolling back policies that “stack preferences in favor of small businesses,” ITIF President Robert Atkinson said Monday.

Massachusetts, California, Washington, Virginia and Delaware lead states in a globalized economy, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said. The lowest-scoring was Mississippi, preceded by Arkansas, West Virginia, Wyoming and Louisiana. Massachusetts ranked first in every ITIF index since 1999; Mississippi got last place in every one except 2007 when it was 49th. Nebraska and Tennessee each climbed eight places -- to 28th and 32nd -- since the last ranking in 2014, while Alaska dropped 10 to 42. States should invest in big firms that invest heavily in research and development, while rolling back policies that “stack preferences in favor of small businesses,” ITIF President Robert Atkinson said Monday.