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NHTSA Finally Releases New Rules for Self-Driving Cars — But There’s a Twist
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has taken a significant step forward in the development of autonomous vehicles, announcing a new “voluntary national framework” that could potentially pave the way for fully driverless cars. However, there is a twist: the agency is now demanding more data from self-driving car companies before allowing them to hit the roads.
In its proposal, NHTSA claims that this framework will provide an exemption pathway tailored specifically for autonomous driving system-equipped vehicles. This move aims to ease the current process of obtaining exemptions from federal motor vehicle safety standards, which are currently capped at 2,500 per company. So far, only one company, Nuro, has successfully secured an exemption for its low-speed delivery robots.
The proposed rules have been met with skepticism by some, particularly advocates for highway and auto safety. According to a statement from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety President Cathy Chase, the move is “premature” and unnecessary. Chase expressed concern over the timing of this proposal, given the auto industry’s recent push to scrap a new rule requiring automatic emergency braking in new vehicles by 2029.
The agency’s emphasis on transparency has raised eyebrows, as it comes after news that the Biden administration may be considering scrapping a transparency rule for self-driving cars. The proposed rule would have required companies operating autonomous vehicles or those with driver assistance systems to report crashes and injuries to the federal government. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a close advisor and donor to Trump, stands to benefit significantly from this change.
Despite these concerns, there is no guarantee that the proposal will survive into the next administration. The Biden-era transparency rule is currently under threat of being repealed by the incoming president. Any efforts to ease restrictions on fully autonomous vehicles could be seen as part of a broader effort to benefit Tesla’s plans for its own robotaxi in 2026.
The controversy surrounding this move highlights the ongoing debate about safety and regulation in the self-driving car industry.
Source: www.theverge.com
