Congress recently passed a bill that would increase the number of driverless cars on American roads. According to Wired, the SELF DRIVE Act sets a basic framework for future driverless regulation, setting the stage for the increased presence of driverless cars on American roads. The law still needs to pass through the Senate, but it is expected to fast-track the development of driverless technology in the U.S. Yet, one type of vehicle was noticeably excluded from the bill—trucks. According to the New York Times, the Teamsters union convinced lawmakers to exempt commercial trucks from the new law.
Critics of the new law claim that it allows more driverless cars on the road before they have been proven safe. After all, driverless technology remains in its early stages and certain safety features are still being improved. As it stands, driverless car companies have had to turn to the individual states for permission to test their vehicles on the road. The new law would allow companies to test their vehicles nationwide and it would prevent states from banning vehicle testing. Currently 21 different states have different laws and regulations regarding driverless cars. The new law sets the stage for clarifying the law and simplifying the process for driverless car companies.
Supporters of driverless technology claim that it has the potential to significantly reduce the number of people who are injured or killed on the road. As it stands, human error remains one of the main reasons why people die on American highways.
The public shouldn’t expect driverless cars to be on sale anytime soon. Cars are still not regulated for commercial use or sale and the law would only set the stage for wider scale testing of the vehicles. The law would also give the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration time to make decisions on what kind of safety standards it wants to implement for these vehicles. The law would also regulate how driverless car companies use and store customers’ data. After all, if you program where you shop, where you work, and where you play into your car, car companies can use this for marketing purposes or sell this data to companies.
While trucks will be exempt from the new law, driverless companies are moving toward making all vehicles autonomous. After all, delivery companies can save millions every year if they don’t need to pay drivers. Supporters of autonomous technology claim that it would simplify logistics and make it safer. As it stands driver fatigue and distraction are contributing causes of accidents in the U.S.
Driverless technology is still years away from becoming the standard and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration will have some work to do in the coming months and years regarding clarifying safety standards. Until then, drivers need to be safe behind the wheel, avoid distraction, and follow the rules of the road. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident or car accident in Dallas, Texas contact the personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Robert Gregg today. Our firm works closely with victims and families to help them seek the justice they may deserve.