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It could be years before drivers on U.S. highways catch a glimpse of a tractor-trailer rig cruising down the highway with another truck trailing a perilous 20 or 30 feet behind.

Tesla Inc. has met with California and Nevada agencies about testing an autonomous semi-truck ahead of CEO Elon Musk’s unveiling of the next addition to the electric-car maker’s lineup.

Labor unions are urging a slowdown as lawmakers fast-track legislation to allow self-driving vehicles on the road, a potential boon to some union jobs and an existential threat to others.

A U.S. House committee July 27 approved legislation to give the federal government final say over the performance of self-driving vehicles, a measure that would preempt states from trying to set their own standards.

The Department of Transportation’s wireless connected vehicle pilot program, currently in its design, deployment and testing phase, is making progress at its demonstration sites in Wyoming, New York City and Tampa, Fla., the program’s manager told members of an agency advisory committee.

New guidelines for manufacturers, transportation agencies, and industry executives on the development and deployment of automated technology will be unveiled as early as this fall on Capitol Hill and at the U.S. Department of Transportation, lawmakers and senior administration officials announced recently.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s chief safety officer last week said the agency has formed three core working groups to develop prospective requirements for manufacturers and truckers seeking to participate in highly automated commercial vehicle, or HACV, pilot programs.

Measures meant to assist companies with the deployment of driverless vehicles will be considered by a House panel on June 27.

Nevada displayed its dedication to refining autonomous vehicles, with the passage of and signing of Assembly Bill 69, industry officials said.