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News Roundup: U.S. Senate Approves Driverless Car Bill, Federal Government Gives State Millions For Automated Taxi Service, and More

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Jennifer van der Kleut

Driverless car bill passes in the U.S. Senate

Members of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a bill similar to one already passed in the House of Representatives that will presumably help clear the way for driverless car technology to move forward. The bill keeps approval of driver’s licenses, regulation of insurance and enforcement of traffic laws within the states’ purview, but places oversight of the design and manufacture of driverless vehicles in the hands of the federal government-specifically the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Like the House bill, the Senate bill also permits Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to hand individual auto manufacturers exemptions from federal safety standards for up to 100,000 vehicles per year while they are fine-tuning their technology; and it also places responsibility with tech designers to protect their vehicles from cyber attacks. Read more from the Washington Post. 

 

Federal government giving South Carolina county millions for driverless taxis?

According to a news report from a USA Today-affiliated regional newspaper, the federal government has pledged millions of dollars toward the development of a driverless taxi service in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville Online says $4 million has been pledged to help develop the nation’s first automated taxi service in Greenville County. In a news conference Thursday, county officials announced the first test vehicle will be deployed on the Clemson University campus, in connection with the college’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). While the test vehicle is only the size of a golf cart, officials said the program’s expansion will feature typical-size vehicles, as well as possible non-emergency medical vehicles for senior and disabled residents. A group called the Global Autonomous Vehicle Partnership is matching funds to help the development of the autonomous vehicles. Read more from Greenville Online.

 

Driverless startup hires execs away from Google’s Waymo, Microsoft

Driverless vehicle startup Nauto is fresh off a monster round of funding, and is already looking to expand its business both locally and globally. In a first step toward that goal, the startup announced this week that it has hired executives from Microsoft, and Google Alphabet’s self-driving car spinoff, Waymo. Waymo’s former head of business, Jennifer Haroon, has joined Nauto as its new vice-president of corporate development and business operations. Microsoft’s former vice-president of global enterprise sales, Sanket Akerkar, joins Nauto as its new senior vice-president of global fleets and insurance. Nauto most recently raised $159 million in funding from a number of major firms, and already has several lucrative partnerships in place with auto manufacturers such as General Motors, BMW and Toyota. The company currently outfits commercial fleets with accident detection devices (shown in image), and is looking to scale out its geographic operations and commercial business. Read more from Recode.

Image: Nauto accident detection device / Credit: Nauto Inc.

Google, GM, Lyft to Testify Before Congress on Importance of Autonomous Car Technology and What Government’s Role Should Be

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Jennifer van der Kleut

Executives from some of the biggest names in the autonomous car race will testify on Capitol Hill next week on the importance of autonomous car technology in making driving safer, as well as offer advice on what the government’s role should be in crafting appropriate legislation to help America get there.

According to Reuters, Chris Urmson, the head of Google’s self-driving car project, along with executives from General Motors (GM), Delphi Automotive and ride-hailing app Lyft will be speaking before a Senate committee led by Senator John Thune, a South Dakota Republican that heads the Senate Commerce Committee.

Inverse reports that representatives from two Duke University departments-the Humans and Autonomy Lab and Duke Robotics-will also be joining them at the hearing.

Reuters reports that the committee wants to hear from these company reps on “advancements in autonomous vehicle technology and its anticipated benefits for Americans.”

In addition, the committee wants to hear their thoughts “on the appropriate role of government in promoting innovation, including removing unnecessary hurdles, and their strategy to grow consumer adoption of this new technology.”

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in January of this year that his goal was for the federal government to remove legislative obstacles to the development of autonomous and connected-car technology, and to develop a consistent national policy for testing within six months.

At the same time, the Obama Administration announced $4 billion in funding for autonomous and connected-car testing along designated corridors nationwide.

For more information about the hearing as well as a link where you can stream the hearing live, visit the Senate committee’s website.

More Driverless Cars, Senators Urge NHTSA

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Burney Simpson

Two influential U.S. senators moved last week to give states greater freedom so they can set their own policies on the operation of autonomous vehicles.

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) asking it to reconsider its 2013 policy recommendation to the states that the operation of autonomous vehicles only be allowed for testing purposes. Fischer and Booker are members of the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce, and Transportation, and NHTSA is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The bipartisan letter to NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind notes that autonomous vehicles have the potential to eliminate nine out of every 10 vehicle accidents, shorten commutes and increase productivity.

“(I)t is our hope that NHTSA will revisit its May 2013 (policy statement) which concluded that NHTSA ‘does not recommend that states authorize the operation of self-driving vehicles for purposes other than testing at this time,’” the senators write.

The senators asks NHTSA to review how federal safety standards delay the deployment of autonomous vehicles, and pledge to work with the agency “to accelerate the safety benefits of this technology and encourage states as they consider its potential.”

The senators ask NHTSA to answer four questions – does agency policy on autonomous vehicles encourage innovation and safety; is it assisting the states as they explore this technology; is the agency guiding industry as it develops the technology; and can Congress remove barriers in the development of the technology?

NHTSA did not post a comment to the letter, and did not respond to Driverless Transportation phone calls and email messages seeking comment.

Currently California, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, along with the District of Columbia have passed legislation allowing for the operation of driverless vehicles. Several states are considering legislation that allow for further research of autonomous vehicles, including Idaho, Maryland, North Dakota, and New Jersey.

Fischer is chairwoman and Booker is the ranking member of the Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security.