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US self-driving car companies seek boost under Trump

Jan 07, 2025 - auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com
The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, which includes companies like Volkswagen, Ford, Waymo, Zoox, and Uber, is urging the U.S. federal government to take a more active role in leading the design, construction, and performance standards for autonomous vehicles. The group has expressed frustration over the lack of federal action, which they claim has led to regulatory uncertainty and could allow China to surpass the U.S. in autonomous vehicle technology. They have called for the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to assert its responsibility and increase efforts in key areas, including creating a national AV safety data repository and clarifying that human controls are unnecessary for vehicles meeting performance standards.

The call for action comes amid increased scrutiny following an incident in October 2023, where a pedestrian was seriously injured by a General Motors Cruise vehicle, prompting USDOT investigations into self-driving vehicles operated by Cruise, Waymo, and Zoox. The industry is also seeking to streamline the deployment of autonomous vehicles without human controls, a move that has faced legislative hurdles but may gain momentum with President-elect Donald Trump's administration, which is reportedly interested in easing deployment barriers. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has emphasized the importance of rigorous oversight to ensure self-driving cars are safer than human drivers, which he believes will enhance public acceptance of the technology.

Key takeaways:

  • The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association is urging the U.S. government to lead in vehicle design, construction, and performance to accelerate autonomous vehicle deployment.
  • The USDOT is investigating self-driving vehicles from companies like Cruise, Waymo, and Zoox after a pedestrian injury incident in October 2023.
  • The industry group is advocating for the removal of human controls in autonomous vehicles that meet performance standards and the creation of a national AV safety data repository.
  • Efforts to ease deployment barriers for self-driving vehicles may gain momentum with President-elect Donald Trump's administration, which is reportedly supportive of such initiatives.
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