Obama administration planning to speed up development of self-driving cars
The White House will reportedly announce efforts to speed up the development of self-driving cars on Thursday, something that may be of extreme interest to Apple as it readies its own such vehicle.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will make an appearance in Detroit to talk about the Obama administration's plans, Reuters said. Google, perhaps the best-known developer of self-driving cars, has said it will particpate in the event. The company already has prototypes driving around public roads in Mountain View, Calif. and Austin, Tex., albeit with humans onboard as a backup. Apple and most others have yet to reach that step.
Detroit automakers are also likely to be involved in the announcement.
The creation of self-driving cars has been mired by the lack of a consistent legal framework. U.S. laws aren't well-equipped to address the new technology, and where regulations do exist, they can vary from state to state, making testing in some places difficult or impossible.
In December, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head Mark Rosekind promised a "nimble, flexible" approach to creating related rules.
The first consumer-oriented self-driving vehicles are typically thought to be years out. Apple's electric car, for instance, isn't expected to arrive until at least 2019 or 2020, and even then the first model might still be human-driven.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will make an appearance in Detroit to talk about the Obama administration's plans, Reuters said. Google, perhaps the best-known developer of self-driving cars, has said it will particpate in the event. The company already has prototypes driving around public roads in Mountain View, Calif. and Austin, Tex., albeit with humans onboard as a backup. Apple and most others have yet to reach that step.
Detroit automakers are also likely to be involved in the announcement.
The creation of self-driving cars has been mired by the lack of a consistent legal framework. U.S. laws aren't well-equipped to address the new technology, and where regulations do exist, they can vary from state to state, making testing in some places difficult or impossible.
In December, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head Mark Rosekind promised a "nimble, flexible" approach to creating related rules.
The first consumer-oriented self-driving vehicles are typically thought to be years out. Apple's electric car, for instance, isn't expected to arrive until at least 2019 or 2020, and even then the first model might still be human-driven.
Comments
Having said this, there's no frickin' reason for the Federal government to be involved in this. I smell protectionism at the insistence of Google.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/10/7/9470551/volvo-self-driving-car-liability
Also this: http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/9/10742926/tesla-model-s-update-self-parking
If the car drives itself without an occupant how is that non-occupant expected to be held liable?
These are interesting times indeed.
I suspect that phrase was an abuse of the English language, if there is one thing democratic governments are not it is nimble or flexible. Fear not though, that is a design feature to minimise harm. Personally I would get verry verry nervous if government actually did become consistently nimble and flexible. That way disaster and corruption lies, along with a spot of winner picking and favours.
I am from the government and I am here to help. As Reagan said, scariest phrase eva.
Truth to tell though there might be a role for the Feds here, if only providing a template for state legislation. I don't know enough about how you yanks organise your road rules to comment further.