The regulator also said it wants comment on whether it should seek pre-market approval power for new automated vehicle technologies in a process similar to that used by the Federal Aviation Administration with aircraft.
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The Federal Automated Vehicle Policy provides guidelines on how auto manufacturers and developers can design safe autonomous vehicles, outlines potential new tools for increasing safety and recommends states their responsibilities.
– Federal regulators want to require automakers to meet a set of 15 guidelines before they can place self-driving cars on public roads.
Jean Shiomoto, director of the California DMV, confirmed as much. “We are collaborating and working with stakeholders already”, said Tim Johnson, of NHTSA’s research center. He added, “We are now reviewing the specifics” outlined in the 116-page Federal Automated Vehicles Policy. “We’re happy NHTSA has come up with guidance documents”.
The department will also require vehicle manufacturers and other entities to complete a 15-point safety evaluation report on self-driving cars, according to the report.
The policy is created to ensure self-driving cars are safe while allowing innovation to continue. It said if states do pursue regulation, they should base those efforts on the guidelines announced Tuesday.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards said the guidelines validate the work of a state task force organized in June to compile recommendations for future testing of autonomous vehicles.
States will also be responsible for establishing liability rules for self-driving vehicles and determining which party needs to have motor vehicle insurance – the manufacturer, the owner, the operator, or the passenger. The guidance is only the first step, however, and should not be viewed as foreclosing future federal regulations over driverless vehicles. Companies that are developing autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles will be asked to submit assessments before those cars go on the road.
In December, the DMV released draft regulations for the public deployment of autonomous vehicles. Autopilot allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel for short periods.
The DMV said at the time that “subsequent regulatory packages” would address fully autonomous vehicles.
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about the FY2016 budget at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, February 2, 2015. A workshop for public input will be held October 20. “In terms of just attitude, this is huge”, said Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of SC who closely tracks the technology.
Smith said the model state policy was unlikely to lead to a uniform policy across the country – a point encouraged by the Department of Transportation. The vehicle should adhere to any relevant state laws and practices.
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“We support guidance that provides for the standardization of self-driving policies across all 50 states, incentivizes innovation, supports rapid testing and deployment in the real world”, David Strickland, coalition spokesperson and general counsel, said in a statement.
