To amend title 49, United States Code, to allow certain grant funds issued by the Secretary of Transportation to be used for the deployment and purchasing of technology for certain autonomous shared mobility vehicles, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · May 7, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
The SAM Act of 2026 creates a new federal grant program to help public transit agencies and their private partners deploy autonomous buses and related self-driving vehicle technology. The bill authorizes $60 million for fiscal year 2027 (available through 2030) and $40 million for fiscal year 2028 (available through 2031) for competitive grants, with at least 15 percent reserved for rural areas. Grant recipients can use funds to purchase autonomous buses, acquire software for automated driving systems, and cover related operational costs, with the federal government covering up to 80 percent of project expenses. The legislation also amends several existing transportation grant programs to explicitly allow spending on autonomous vehicle software and updates, and requires the Department of Transportation to establish a new testing facility for autonomous buses by January 1, 2027. Overall, the bill is designed to accelerate adoption of self-driving technology in public transit by removing funding barriers and establishing technical testing standards.
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