WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) - Major automakers and

tech groups on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to

take steps to speed deployment of self-driving cars, citing a

number of regulatory hurdles.

The Alliance For Automotive Innovation, a group representing

nearly all major automakers, Consumer Technology Association,

Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association and other groups in a

letter called on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to quickly

implement a national performance-based framework and to assert

the federal government's role as sole regulator of self-driving

vehicle hardware and software.

"If the federal government fails to act to advance sensible

AV policies we will cede our leadership in this economically

crucial sector to China," the groups said.