Regulating roadways is both a federal and state issue in the United States. This means various agencies must be involved in autonomous vehicle regulation.
The future of driving might simply be that we no longer have to. The idea of sitting back in your car, enjoying a nap, reading a book, or listening to music while your car does the driving appeals to some people, but we aren’t there yet. The technology for autonomous vehicles continues to develop, but it might be necessary for state, municipal, and federal government regulations to be enacted.
Growth means more get involved
As with any technology or change to the status quo, the more something grows, the more agencies get involved. Each year, the number of states considering legislation related to self-driving vehicles has gradually increased. This makes sense since the number of companies putting autonomous vehicles on the road has gradually increased in recent years.
Some of the most recent legislation includes:
- 2018 – 15 states enacted AV-related bills
- 2017 – 33 states have introduced legislation, an increase from 20 the year before
- Governors in 11 states have issued executive orders related to autonomous vehicles
As you can see, autonomous vehicle regulation has begun, but it will need to have a much more far-reaching impact than what we’ve seen so far.
Has the federal government gotten involved?
It wouldn’t make sense for the federal government to ignore anything as changing as self-driving cars. The NHTSA has released new federal guidelines for Automated Driving Systems, which brings in the latest guidance for automated driving across the country. This new guidance builds on what the NHTSA put out in 2016. That’s right; despite the constant changes in vehicle technology, it took the NHTSA eight years to update its guidance.
The US Senate gets involved
Last September, several Senators drafted legislation regarding self-driving vehicles called the American Vision for Safer Transportation Through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies (AV START). You know, it took a long time to produce that term to fit the acronym, but this is similar to the SELF DRIVE Act passed by the House, with some changes.
Where can autonomous vehicles be operated?
The first state to authorize autonomous vehicle operation was Nevada in 2011. Since that time, 21 other states have also issued executive orders related to autonomous vehicles. This means autonomous vehicle regulation has been considered and discussed by lawmakers for the past fourteen years. The idea of self-driving cars isn’t nearly as new as some might think, but sometimes it takes time for these ideas to go from government officials to the general public.
Pros and cons of autonomous vehicles
It seems pretty clear that autonomous vehicle regulation is already a discussion topic on many government levels, and it should continue to be so for a long time. That said, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of vehicles that don’t require a human driver behind the wheel.
Pro: Self-driving cars could be an accessibility solution
People with disabilities, the elderly, and others who have difficulty obtaining transportation could benefit from vehicles that can do the driving for them. This allows someone who might otherwise be homebound or dependent upon others for their transportation needs to be able to get where they need to go without assistance.
Con: Privacy and security concerns
This is one of the greatest roadblocks facing autonomous vehicles, and you can bet regulation will include requirements for those concerns to be handled correctly. The connectivity required to allow self-driving vehicles to operate makes them more susceptible to hacking, which puts the responsibility on automakers.
Pro: Traffic jams could be outdated
There will be growing pains between when self-driving cars begin to become widespread and the last person stops driving, allowing machines to take over this task, but once that happens, traffic jams will no longer occur. In fact, roadways won’t need to be as wide as they are now, and the connected nature of these cars should create intelligent commutes without traffic, which will also lower emissions.
Con: Job losses
The more technology takes over what humans have done in the past; the more jobs are lost. Having autonomous vehicles on the road could mean public transport, taxi, and delivery services no longer need human drives. This could be a huge problem for the economy and the future of many families.
As autonomous vehicle regulations continue to be discussed, automakers continue to work toward providing this technology to the world. Do you think you could trust a self-driving car to drive you around?
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