There was fierce lobbying in Washington, DC this week over a Senate bill that, if passed, could unleash a swarm of self-driving cars without typical controls onto public roads. The bill pits some of the biggest car and technology companies in the world against consumer and safety advocates who argue that driverless cars aren’t ready for primetime.

The bill, AV START, is being held up by five Democratic senators. Their objections range from a lack of safeguards allowing a human to retake control of an autonomous vehicle in an emergency to concerns over hacking, privacy, and cybersecurity. Proponents of the bill have concentrated most of their efforts on swaying California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who is also facing a difficult…

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