According to Sawyer Merritt, Lars Moravy, VP of Vehicle Engineering at Tesla, emphasized before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee the necessity of establishing a federal framework for autonomous vehicle (AV) development and deployment. Moravy argued that such a framework is essential for America to retain its leadership in global technological innovation and to advance its manufacturing capabilities. He highlighted the committee's opportunity to position the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as the global gold standard in AV regulation, underscoring the importance of clear federal guidelines for industry growth and competitiveness, as reported by Sawyer Merritt.