Driverless Cars Can Finally Ditch The Steering Wheel

It appears that the rule change comes after lobbying efforts by stakeholders such as GM, Tesla, and Waymo that are lining up to put cars with Automated Driving Systems (ADS) on the road in the immediate future. Tesla’s journey hasn’t been particularly smooth though, especially with the phantom braking issue that prompted a federal investigation. The agency says it wants to be prepared with a robust set of rules in advance before autonomous vehicles become a common sight on the roads. “Through the 2020s, an important part of USDOT’s safety mission will be to ensure safety standards keep pace with the development of automated driving and driver assistance systems,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in an official statement.

But the update doesn’t cut autonomous vehicles any slack when it comes to safety. The NHTSA makes it abundantly clear that irrespective of an autonomous car rocking a steering wheel or pedal, or not, they must follow all the standard safety measures that are in place for a regular manual-driven car. Occupant protection is a top priority for NHTSA, and the status quo will remain as such for a future where autonomous or self-driving cars becoming commonplace.