California’s recently proposed rules for autonomous vehicle testing are getting a thumbs down from developers of robotic cars.
Yahoo! announced the state released its proposal for regulations that govern the testing of autonomous vehicles.
But industry leaders, including representatives from Google’s Self-Driving Car Project, are raising fears that these regulations will significantly bog down development of self-driving cars in California.
The proposed rules have raised the hackles of the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, whose members include Ford, Uber, Google, Lyft and Volvo.
Coalition leader David Strickland said California’s regulations “could greatly delay the benefits that self-driving vehicles can bring to safety and mobility for individuals.”
The proposed rules are based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) guidelines issued in September.
However, where the NHTSA opted for voluntary adherence to these guidelines, California has proposed mandatory compliance, which has spooked industry.
Corporate players were also upset by California’s proposed stipulation that autonomous vehicle testers must obtain approval from every town and city they seek to trial cars in.
As well, California has proposed that before even applying for a permit to operate autonomous vehicles in the state, makers of self-driving cars must gather test data for a year.
Add a Comment