The United States unveiled a sweeping new regulatory framework for the unexpectedly rapid rise of self-driving automobile technology, just days after Uber broke ground with its first driverless taxis. What’s now all but certain is that assertive federal involvement – replacing more conservative rules from 2013 – will hasten all forecasts.
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The wide-ranging proposal unveiled on Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) called on automakers to voluntarily submit details of self-driving vehicle systems to regulators in a 15 point “safety assessment”. Tesla’s Model S features Autopilot – a system that came under fire this year after a man using the feature was killed in Florida when his Tesla could not distinguish between the bright white side of a turning tractor-trailer and the sunny sky behind it. Tesla modified its system following the accident. The DMV is planning to release revised rules “in the coming weeks”, according to an official statement, which also mentioned that the agency is soliciting comments at a public workshop October 20 in Sacramento.
Simultaneously with this policy, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a final enforcement guidance bulletin clarifying how its recall authority will apply to automated vehicle technologies.
20, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its regulatory guidelines for self-driving cars, in an attempt to help automakers prepare for the transition to driverless vehicles. “This new policy comes with a lot of bark, but not enough bite”, Marta Tellado, President and CEO of Consumer Reports, said in a statement.
Foxx pointed out that drivers and cars have always been regulated by individual states in a “patchwork” of laws. Uber has started testing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a self-driving ride-hailing service, while rival Lyft is working with General Motors on developing a network of autonomous vehicles. States have historically set the rules for licensing drivers, but Foxx said states should stick to registering the cars and dealing with questions of liability when they crash when the driver is a computer. California now requires a steering wheel and brake pedals, but NHTSA has the authority to approve vehicles without them if the agency decides they’re safe. The government is also set to guide individual states in setting up regulations so that driving across state lines doesn’t suddenly become a safety issue due to varying laws.
The guidelines are mostly focused on what the department calls highly automated vehicles.
The points also include how carmakers should approach the digital security of driverless vehicles, and how a auto can communicate with passengers and other road users.
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The coalition supports guidelines that standardize self-driving regulations across the country, avoiding confusion and lost industry momentum that would be cause by rules that vary from state to state.
