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Fully autonomous vehicles could operate on all Virginia public roads beginning in 2028 under a bill advancing through the General Assembly.
Senate Bill 670, introduced by state Sen. Saddam Salim, passed the Virginia Senate in a 35-4 vote on Feb. 12, 2026. The measure still awaits consideration by the House Transportation Committee.
The legislation would establish rules for driverless taxi services and autonomous delivery trucks, potentially clearing the way for companies such as Waymo to expand into Virginia.
“McLean is a very car-dependent community, so any change to how people drive here would have a major impact,” AP Human Geography teacher Emer Johnson said. “It might increase congestion at first, especially if families let teenagers use autonomous cars, but it also opens the possibility for safer and more flexible commuting over time.”
Autonomous vehicles use cameras, radar, LiDAR, artificial intelligence and high-definition maps to navigate traffic, identify obstacles and avoid crashes.
More than 30 states currently permit some testing or limited use of self-driving vehicles. Fully driverless vehicles are allowed in six states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.
Some vehicles already traveling on public roads, including certain Tesla models, offer features marketed as fully self-driving. They are still classified as semi-autonomous, however, and require human supervision.
“Even with these technologies, students still need to learn the rules of the road,” driver education teacher Marissa Gaines said. “Autonomous cars might drive themselves, but young drivers won’t develop the skills to handle unexpected situations if they rely too much on the technology.”
Driverless vehicles could give teenagers, older residents and people without licenses more opportunities to travel independently. That flexibility could also put additional vehicles on already busy roads.
Johnson questioned how the technology would perform at complicated interchanges such as the Springfield Interchange, commonly known as the Mixing Bowl.
“There are a lot of tricky areas to drive around, like the Mixing Bowl where drivers have to merge across multiple lanes,” Johnson said. “I’m not sure self-driving vehicles would be able to navigate those high-volume, complex situations, which could create safety concerns.”
Some students, particularly inexperienced drivers, are uneasy about sharing the road with vehicles that have nobody driving.
“Sharing the road with self-driving vehicles would make me feel more nervous, especially because seeing people behind the wheel gives me a sense of comfort,” sophomore Harriet Gould said. “I feel like I can’t fully trust the technology used in autonomous vehicles, since it’s only been tested by private companies and we don’t know all the precautions they’ve taken.”
The arrival of autonomous vehicles could also reshape driver education. Teenagers may need to learn not only how to control a vehicle, but also how automated systems work and when human intervention is necessary.
“I think having self-driving cars reduces the need for people to get their licenses,” sophomore Sophie Thornton said. “Not having your license is a big step in gaining independence, and relying on technology could make the transition into adulthood a lot harder.”