Self-driving cars are the future of the automotive industry, and the Obama administration wants to ensure that that future is brought about as quickly as possible. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced on Thursday that the government is working on laying down some proper legal framework and guidelines for self-driving cars that it hopes will remove some of the constraints that are slowing down research and development. The government is also planning a $4 billion investment into infrastructure improvements and research projects relating to self-driving cars.
With automakers and technology companies rushing to develop self-driving cars, the Obama administration on Thursday pledged to expedite regulatory guidelines for autonomous vehicles and invest in research to help bring them to market. Until now, the federal government has taken a hands-off approach to regulating new technology that allows vehicles to operate independently and without an actual driver. But in an announcement here at the North American International Auto Show, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the government would remove hurdles to developing autonomous vehicles and set further guidelines for them within six months. “We are bullish on autonomous vehicles,” Mr. Foxx said. “The actions we are taking today bring us up to speed.” The government’s new support includes $4 billion in President Obama’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year, to fund research projects and infrastructure improvements tied to driverless cars. Mr. Foxx said that autonomous vehicles had the potential to reduce traffic accidents and significantly improve safety on America’s roads. He estimated that as many as 25,000 deaths could have been avoided last year if driverless technology had been in widespread use.