Print 16 comment(s) - last by Misty Dingos.. on Oct 25 at 3:17 PM

The research will include topics such as safety standards (such as crashtest results) and software security (to ensure that hackers don't take over)

Recognizing that autonomous vehicles are the future of the automotive industry, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that it is getting ready to create performance standards and regulations for the driverless cars through an extensive research project.
The NHTSA said today that it will partake in a two- to three-year research project that will lead to new rules and regulations for autonomous vehicles. The research will include topics such as safety standards (such as crashtest results) and software security (to ensure that hackers don't take over). 
Autonomous cars could prove to be beneficial in terms of reducing congestion and fuel use. They could also assist those who are unable to drive, such as the elderly and those who are blind.  
Google is one major technology company that is backing the deployment of autonomous vehicles -- mainly because it has been testing its own driverless vehicles on public roads. The company recently logged 300,000 accident-free miles
Last month, California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed a bill to create safety standards for autonomous vehicles after taking a cruise in one himself. Senate Bill 1298 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) states that self-driving cars can be used on public roads for testing purposes only as long as there is a licensed operator in the driver's seat. 

Source: The Detroit News

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RE: overreach
By Shig on 10/25/2012 12:48:52 AM , Rating: 2
I think the bigger advantage to having autonomous cars will be that people will no longer need to own a car to get all the benefits from one.

It's much more likely autonomous cars will become a service, not a product you own. Cars are typically used very rarely by people for driving (time driven / total time), they usually are sitting in a parking lot or a garage the vast majority of the time. The biggest advantage in my eyes for autonomous cars is to take cars off the road and free people from the burden of having to own one.

Autonomous cars will also be amazing at solving the 'last mile' problem with public transportation. I can take the train to downtown Chicago, but the train station is still too far to walk to on a daily basis from where I live. A ride from my house to the train station in an autonomous car would be awesome. Then after the car dropped me off, it would go to the next person, etc etc.

I like to drive my car, but most of my 'driving' consists of sitting in soul crushing gridlock, and that I hate.

RE: overreach
By Jeffk464 on 10/25/2012 1:35:40 PM , Rating: 2
'last mile'

Uhm, thats what legs are for. If american walked an extra couple of miles a day obesity, and associated medical costs would go way down.

RE: overreach
By Jeffk464 on 10/25/2012 1:37:23 PM , Rating: 2
and yes I think most people would love to turn over the morning commute to their car and read a book or browse the internet instead.

