New rules proposed for autonomous cars to pick up passengers in California
April 9, 2018
This step forward for autonomous car developers is being greeted with scrutiny over safety concerns, following recent AV-related death in Arizona
The California Public Utilities Commission has issued a proposal that could potentially clear the way for companies engaged in autonomous vehicle development and deployment to offer rides to the general public without the need of a safety driver to be present in the vehicle. The Commission regulates utilities that include TNCs.
California already has rules issued allowing for autonomous vehicle testing without drivers; these rules took effect this week.
The Commission’s proposal augments these rules as issued by the state’s department of motor vehicles to include greater safety protections for passengers. AV companies would be cleared to do more testing of vehicles.
The proposed California rules require that companies hold an autonomous vehicle testing permit from the DMV for at least 90 days before picking up passengers. The service must be free—companies are not allowed to accept payment from passengers. Also passengers must be 18 years or older and no airport trips are allowed.
The proposal also mandates that companies file regular reports to regulators including the number of miles their self-driving vehicles travel, rides they complete and disabled passengers they are serving.
How this will boost safety protections for passengers is, as yet, unclear.Critics have cited the incident in March in Arizona when a safety driver-assisted Uber AV struck and killed a woman as a counterargument to removing human oversight from AVs on public roadways.
Extend the lifespan and durability of any concrete. PoreShield is a USDA BioPreferred product and is approved for residential, commercial, and industrial use. It works great above...
The concrete at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center is subject to several potential sources of damage including livestock biowaste, food/beverage waste, and freeze/thaw...
PoreShield is a cost-effective, nontoxic alternative to traditional concrete sealers. It works differently, absorbing deep into the concrete pores to block damage from salt ions...
