We still have a while before self-driving cars reach ubiquity, but the government already put together a committee to guide the country into this new era of transportation.

The United States Department of Transportation announced the establishment of a federal committee on automation. The goal is to ensure the transition to self-driving cars is as smooth as possible, so the committee will discuss everything from vehicle development to shaping new regulations.

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The list is a veritable who's who of academics and executives. The two co-chairs are GM CEO Mary Barra and Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles. Other notable members include Waymo CEO John Krafcik, American Trucking Association CEO Chris Spear and Lyft co-founder John Zimmer. The full list is available on the USDOT's website.

"This new automation committee will work to advance life-saving innovations while boosting our economy and making our transportation network more fair, reliable, and efficient," said Anthony Foxx, US Transportation Secretary, in a statement.

This group isn't wasting any time, either. It will hold its first meeting on January 16. Considering the autonomous revolution is likely more than a decade away still, I think this group will have plenty of time to address issues like employment and infrastructure before time becomes a factor.