Republican Bill To Strip States And Cities From Regulating Self Driving Cars

The new legislation – which is still far from becoming law – would see any state or local regulator banned from setting its own rules in terms of design and testing procedures of self-driving autos, but federal regulators are also blocked from claiming pre-market approval for autonomous vehicle technology. This law would represent a major step forward for any company implicated into autonomous technology development right not in the United States, as they strive to persuade Congress and the Trump administration to deliver rules that would prevent limits imposed on self-driving technology.
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MDarringer - 7/6/2017 8:23:04 AM

-1 Boost

Self-driving regulations should be federal law and NOT done on a state-by-state basis. That's just common sense.

TheSteve - 7/6/2017 11:29:01 AM

+7 Boost

Yes, just like driving regulations -- like speed limits and licenses -- are fed... no, wait :-/

I speculate this is a control issue, where a powerful and wealthy group has something to lose financially with the prospect of autonomous cars suddenly becoming feasible, and a single state being the first to prove it so. Can't have that, can we!

MDarringer - 7/6/2017 3:58:11 PM

-5 Boost

@TheSteve as a DeMoncrat of course you love the duplication of regulations that make it more confusing for us all.

My position: a 50-state set of standards that make it easy for EVs to get produced due to coherence in the regulations.

Your position: 50 different sets of regulations that make it more difficult to market EVs and drive up the cost to consumers.

vdiv - 7/6/2017 4:34:22 PM

+4 Boost

Wait, are you assuming that self-driving cars are all EVs?

MDarringer - 7/6/2017 8:32:24 PM

-2 Boost

@vdiv the two paths will decidedly merge and anyone with a brain can see that. Why should someone have to hop on either bandwagon? Besides manufacturers are already working on autonomous EVs.

vdiv - 7/7/2017 10:45:00 AM

+2 Boost

Well, I agree with that, just surprised to hear it from you :)

If all cars eventually have self-driving capabilities and all self-driving cars are EVs then...

TomM - 7/7/2017 12:02:23 AM

+2 Boost

Actually - it should not be either - it should be BOTH. The fact is - manufacturing and driving regulations are currently set by both parties. This is much like the 55mph speed limit that eventually crashed and burned when states decided to change the limits within their state - something that the supreme court said was legal for them to do.

I can see that certain manufacturing standards would be set by the Federal Government - BUT- I could also see that certain local driving regulations - example - where you could use the systems and where you could not - would and should be under local control by people who know the conditions better. Certainly - LOCAL speed limit would still have to apply to autonomous vehicles - as well as other local conditions - like "No turn on Red" and "No left turn" type things. I cannot imagine the federal government taking over such things.

However - I would not expect all self driving cars to be EVs. A number of ICE car manufacturers are close to providing this technology already.

The question I have is - how will they specify Liability is the case of an accident?. I believe it will be Decades before they will accept an autonomous car without having a driver available to take control should something happen. And in the case of a malfunction that could be controlled - like a sensor failure - a driver will HAVE to be available. Unless they specify numerous redundant systems - I still believe that a "driver" will still be required in the "Driver's seat" - and that the thought of having thousands of Taxi's running around without them is something for the distant future.