Are Autonomous Vehicles Being Tested in Your Area?

As technology moves forward the auto industry has several companies working around the country to test autonomous vehicles.

Many of these testing areas have been approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) but that doesn’t always mean you’re going to feel comfortable with these vehicles. Whether your local government has approved these vehicles being tested and to what degree could matter to you when you head out on the road.

Testing Must Be Done to Develop Guidelines and Regulations

While there can be a starting point for the regulations put on autonomous vehicles, it’s important to be fair to both the developers and the general public in creating the rules of the road. With new models that could drive without an operator behind the wheel, the need for comprehensive testing is more important than ever. Regardless of your feelings, these vehicles need to be thoroughly tested before any action can be put in front of local, state, or federal governing bodies.

The NHTSA has Developed a Website to Show Where Autonomous Vehicles are Being Tested

A new website has been developed by the NHTSA to let you know if self-driving vehicles are being tested in your area. So far, there are 17 cities involved in the testing of these vehicles. Large municipalities including Pittsburgh, Dallas, Washington, D. C., San Francisco, and Austin are among some of the major cities involved. While you might not notice these vehicles, there are currently nine states and ten companies working on pilot programs with the hope to create the self-driving cars of the future.

Because this testing has grown so much, the NHTSA created the website as the first “formal platform” to offer the information you want to know when you’re trying to find out if your city is among the testing sites. This site allows you to understand the names of the companies, whether or not the vehicles are being tested on public roads, and whether or not a human driver is in the car to take over as needed.

Where Will the Testing Go?

Thankfully, the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary has already begun a more transparent and broader initiative than what we had in place to offer information regarding the testing of autonomous vehicles. You might not want to see a car driving next to you that doesn’t have a driver behind the wheel, but if you travel in one of the cities where testing is allowed on public roads, this could be what you find.

Autonomous Vehicles Still have a Long Way to Go

The overall fear regarding the safety and security of vehicles that drive without a human driver behind the wheel is going to be a massive hurdle for companies to overcome. There are plenty of arguments for and against these self-driving cars. With that said, they are now part of our world and only in the beginning stages of development. Check out the NHTSA website and decide if you want to drive alongside these vehicles while they are being tested.