ACES Mobility Coalition Celebrates Introduction of SAM Act (H.R. 8692) that will Advance Shared Autonomous Public Transportation

Legislation removes key deployment barriers and expands federal support for shared autonomous transit. 

WASHINGTON, DC – May 11, 2026 — The ACES Mobility Coalition is celebrating the introduction of the Shared Autonomous Mobility (SAM) Act (H.R. 8692) by Representative Kevin Kiley (I-CA). The bill serves as a major step forward in advancing shared autonomous mobility partnerships with public transit agencies across the United States. The SAM Act will modernize outdated regulations that have slowed scalable deployment and give local governments and their private sector partners a clearer path to procure, test,and integrate shared autonomous vehicles into public transportation networks. The Coalition worked with Representative Kiley to craft this bill, which will help usher in a new era of safe community mobility access that helps reduce congestion, improve the transit customer experience, establish American leadership in public transit innovation, and address first-and last-mile challenges. 

“We applaud Representative Kiley for introducing the SAM Act, and recognizing the critical role shared autonomous mobility can play in improving public transportation,” said Joshua Schank, Executive Director of the ACES Mobility Coalition. “Removing outdated barriers that have limited the deployment of innovative technology partnerships will unlock safer, more efficient, and more reliable transit options for communities and their residents.” 

Modernizing federal programs for shared autonomous mobility 

The SAM Act includes several targeted updates designed to remove barriers to procurement, testing, and deployment while maintaining robust safety and oversight standards. Among its key provisions, the legislation would: 

1. Amend 5 existing transit and infrastructure grant programs to make software acquisition and licensing for operating or monitoring automated driving systems (ADS) eligible capital expenses. This commonsense modernization recognizes software and digital services as essential components of today’s transit vehicles, including non-autonomous fleets on the roadway today. The programs include: 

   1. SMART (Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation) Grants

   2. Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants

   3. Bus and Bus Facilities Grants 

   4. MEGA (National Infrastructure Project Assistance) Grants 

   5. BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) Grants 

2. Provide greater procurement flexibility by allowing transit agencies to receive grants prior to and during bus testing, as long as all required testing is successfully completed before delivery and acceptance. This shortens deployment timelines by lettingboth agencies and vendor companies begin work during lengthy bus testing without compromising road safety. 

3. Require the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to review and modernize existing bus testing regulations to better allow for timely testing of ADS-equipped buses, including those with innovative vehicle designs. 

4. Direct U.S. DOT to identify a second bus testing site specifically dedicated to testing autonomous buses. 

5. Establish a new $100 million grant program to fund deployments of shared autonomous mobility vehicles by public transportation authorities and local governments. 

These updates align federal policy with the realities of modern vehicle systems, where software, automation, and purpose-built designs are essential to safe and effective operations and enable more seamless integration into existing public transit systems. 

Coalition Members Helped Shape Legislation 

Over the past year, Coalition leaders and members conducted extensive Congressional outreach, including a Capitol Hill fly-in, to highlight the urgent need to modernize federal programs and regulations for shared autonomous mobility vehicles. The introduction of the SAM Act by Representative Kiley reflects that progress and incorporates Coalition members’ technical expertise and policy recommendations. 

“Representative Kiley’s leadership and advocacy have been critical,” Schank added. “Our members – public agencies and private technology companies – helped inform this legislation based on lived experience, and we’re excited to see those insights reflected in this thoughtful, forward-looking bill.” 

The ACES Mobility Coalition is the only U.S. organization solely focused on advancing autonomous vehicles in public transit. This bill’s introduction is significant because it gives transit agencies new tools and resources that will help address their challenges,such as first- and last-mile connectivity. The Coalition is optimistic that the legislation will pass independently or be incorporated into the larger Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill ahead of the September 30 deadline. 

“This is common sense legislation that will spur innovation and improve mobility,” Schank said. “We encourage members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to support the SAM Act and take decisive action to help improve public transportation for allAmericans.” 

About the ACES Mobility Coalition 

The ACES Mobility Coalition is a public sector-led alliance of government agencies, private companies, and academic organizations working to advance shared autonomous mobility. Through collaboration, policy development, and advocacy, ACES supports the deployment of technologies and systems that improve mobility, safety, sustainability, and access for all. 

For additional information, visit www.acesmobility.org.