The announcement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) represents a big step forward for autonomous vehicles. According to the agency, it is no longer necessary to equip these vehicles with a driver’s seat, pedals or steering wheel. There is therefore no no need for human anymore to ensure the safety of autonomous vehicles in the United States.
Autonomous vehicles without a steering wheel
Now, autonomous vehicles can be designed without valance. The NHTSA has just given the green light so that they can circulate without humans on board. The US regulator believes that it “is no longer necessary for manufacturers to equip autonomous vehicles with manual driving controls”. Until now, this was impossible because of the safety rules in force which required a human driver to be on board to regain control in the event of an incident.
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Aware that this measure could worry the authorities, Steven Cliff, assistant administrator of the NHTSA, wants to be reassuring and specifies that “If the driver changes from a person to a machine in vehicles equipped with autonomous driving systems, the need to ensure the safety of humans remains the same and must be taken into account from the start. With this rule, we ensure that manufacturers put safety first”.
Safety remains at the center of the reflection
It’s obvious: vehicles equipped with an autonomous driving system without steering wheel or pedals must logically provide the same level of protection as current vehicles. Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg believes that “This new rule is an important step that will establish strong safety standards for vehicles equipped with automated driving systems”. The Ministry of Transport is obviously following the progress of autonomous vehicles very closely.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has embarked on a review of current regulations to take into account technological advances in the automobile. As technologies evolve, regulators adapt. Little by little, autonomous vehicles will find a place on our roads. In France, Navya’s autonomous shuttles, for example, have been deployed for almost two years as part of a commercial offer with Keolis.