Perhaps I am a bit slow on the uptake regarding self-driving vehicles but this one is a bit of a concern for me. In recent months it seems that NHTSA is really pushing to get self-driving vehicles on the roads as soon as possible.
The difference now is that we're talking about self-driving cars that do not have human controls.
Considering the technology is still quite nascent and we're talking about vehicles that weigh, I don't know, a ton or two, shouldn't we be a bit more keen on safety? According to this Reuters story, General Motors, Ford and Alphabet are lobbying to make this happen as swiftly as possible.
Is that it though? Follow the money trail?
As someone who is certainly not an expert in self-driving autos, I want to hear what the Spies think of all this hubbub. Does this concern you? Or, do you feel the tech-enabled vehicles may actually be MORE safe on the road than those piloted by people?
The U.S. National Highway Traffic-Safety Administration said Friday it is looking for input on how it can remove regulatory roadblocks to self-driving cars.
The auto safety agency said in a report that it wants to find any “unnecessary regulatory barriers” to self-driving cars “particularly those that are not equipped with controls for a human driver.”
The agency also wants comments on what research it needs to conduct before deciding whether to eliminate or rewrite regulations. But it could take the agency years to complete the research and finalize rule changes, and advocates are pushing Congress to act...
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