WASHINGTON (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.