washington two u.s. senators say late wednesday reach bipartisan deal legislation aim ease hurdle get self-driving cars drivers u.s. senator john thune republican chair commerce committee senator gary peters michigan democrat say reach deal legislation would vote committee oct. 4. say plan release text thursday general motor co alphabet inc ford motor co others lobby legislation speed deployment self-driving cars without human control allow federal regulators approve use deem safe bar state block autonomous vehicles current law prohibit vehicles without human control two source brief matter say bill would include large commercial truck expect adoption self-driving vehicle technologies save live improve mobility people disabilities create new job thune peters say joint statement similar bill unanimously pass u.s. house early month also exclude vehicles 10,000 pound senate aid negotiate weeks truck language bill could preempt state court lawsuits safety self-driving vehicles house measure first significant federal legislation aim speed self-driving cars market would allow automakers get approval sell 25,000 vehicles first year rise 100,000 year three long could demonstrate vehicles least safe current vehicles human control state could still set rule registration license liability insurance safety inspections performance standards automakers would submit safety assessment report regulators bill would require pre-market approval advance vehicle technologies automakers technology company hope begin deploy driverless vehicles around 2020. push new federal rule make easy deploy self-driving technology consumer group seek additional safeguard state issue variety rule absence clear federal guidance automakers complain california rule restrictive advocate hope self-driving cars reduce u.s. road deaths rise 7.7 percent 2015 high annual increase since 1966 2014 study find u.s. traffic crash cost society 836 billion annually human error behind 94 percent crash u.s. senators announce deal self-driving car legislation