US lawmakers have failed to reach an agreement on self-driving car legislation, leading to concerns about China’s advancements in the field.
Both Republicans and Democrats are eager for swift action to prevent China from surpassing the US in deploying autonomous vehicles. However, safety groups, lawyers, and labor unions have raised objections to the proposed legislation.
The debate includes concerns about liability loopholes and workforce impacts. Autonomous vehicle legislation has been stalled for over six years, and proposals seek exemptions for automakers to deploy thousands of vehicles without meeting current safety standards.
Advocates tout the potential benefits of AVs, including reduced traffic deaths and increased mobility for the disabled. Meanwhile, there are worries about rushing driverless vehicles onto roads without adequate safety measures.
Without congressional action, the nation risks relying on foreign sources for future developments in this technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is set to decide on a petition from GM’s Cruise for permission to deploy self-driving vehicles annually without human controls.
Source: Reuters
