California Ratchets Up the Driverless Battle

The battle among states for driverless-vehicle technology and testing dollars is heating up.

California Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang last week introduced a proposal that she says will keep the state in the forefront of developing autonomous technology.

The Republican from Diamond Bar introduced AB 2682 that would require the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to hold hearings if the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposes a model state policy on driverless vehicles.

NHTSA has said it plans to announce the policy this year.

California has been a driverless leader with Mountain View-based Google working on its vehicles for over five years in the Golden State.

However, Google has been frustrated by driverless proposals by the California DMV that would require equipment like steering wheels, and that drivers have special certificates to operate the vehicles.

Google believes the proposals are onerous while the DMV argues the rules should be tough as the revolutionary technology evolves.

BUSINESS-FRIENDLY STATES

Chang’s proposal presumably would open up the DMV’s rule-making process.

“The DMV is not exactly known for being an incubator for high-tech,” Chang said in a press release. “We are competing with business-friendly states like Texas to keep the tech in California so we need to make sure we don’t lose another opportunity for keeping jobs in California – and potential federal funding.”

Google began testing in Texas last year, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has asked for $4 billion to speed the development of driverless vehicles.

States are also competing for testing dollars.

California’s Silicon Valley is home to the GoMentum Station and its 20 miles of test roads. Michigan opened the 32-acre Mcity facility in Ann Arbor in July, and plans to develop the massive Willow Run site in Ypsilanti (See “Michigan Launches 330-Acre Autonomous Vehicle Test Site”).

Another major player is the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. It is expanding its well-established auto testing operations in Blacksburg to the highly-congested Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.

TENNESSEE – AIN’T NO PLACE I’D RATHER BE

Also last week, the Tennessee Senate’s Transportation and Safety Committee approved SB 1561 that would allow driverless testing in the state. The full Senate is to hear the bill this Wednesday.

Tennessee state Sen. Mark Green said he introduced the proposal to encourage auto OEMs to expand their manufacturing in the state (See “Careful Steps on Driverless Laws for Tennessee, Virginia”).

Tennessee is already home to plants operated by GM, Nissan, and Volkswagen, along with the Tier 1 supplier Denso.