U.S. unveils regulatory framework for self-driving cars

PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States unveiled a sweeping new regulatory framework for the unexpectedly rapid rise of self-driving automobile technology, just days after Uber broke ground with its first driverless taxis, AFP reports.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the federal government intends to set the safety standards for cars of the future where no human is involved in the driving, even while individual states still regulate cars with humans behind the wheel.

But some of the rules will extend to advanced driver-assistance systems, like those in Teslas, that can handle significant levels of driving even while demanding a person stay at the wheel of the car, officials said.

Announcing a 15-point safety assessment for driverless car systems, Foxx stressed that the government wants to work with developers -- which include most large automakers as well as tech giants such as Uber and Alphabet (Google) -- without stifling their efforts.

"This area we recognize as an evolving area. This is an emerging technology," he announced.

Foxx pointed out that drivers and cars have long been regulated by individual states in a "patchwork" of laws, AFP says.

"The dynamic with the autonomous car is that the software is now operating the vehicle. And... when the software is operating the vehicle, that is an area that we intend to regulate."

The 15 points by which driverless cars, or "highly automated vehicles" (HAVs), will be judged, include:

- the vehicle's perception and response functionality

- how well the cars manage in case of technical failures

- data recording and information sharing capabilities

- user privacy

- security from hacking

Also on the list are "ethical considerations," how self-driving vehicles are programmed to handle conflict dilemmas on the road.