Self-driving car advocates launch ad campaign to prod Congress

A Velodyne LiDAR sensor is seen mounted on a self-driving vehicle during a self-racing cars event at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California, U.S., April 1, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/Files

WASHINGTON: A coalition of supporters of self-driving cars said that it will run ads this week in social media and Washington newspapers, in an effort to convince the US Congress to adopt sweeping legislation to boost the nascent industry. 

The ads are being placed by the Coalition for Future Mobility, which was formed in July by trade groups representing major automakers, along with other advocates for self-driving cars, as Congress began serious consideration of bills relating to autonomous vehicles.