DOT secretary wants more rigorous reviews of robotic cars

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says he wants government regulators and the auto industry to work more closely together to test self-driving technology before people entrust their vehicle's steering and brakes to a robot.

Foxx told about 1,200 people at a self-driving convention in San Francisco on Tuesday that a more rigorous review of robotic controls is needed to reassure consumers that autonomous vehicles are safe before they are cleared to hit the road.

His remarks came a few weeks after revealed a 40-year-old man died May 7 after his Tesla car crashed into a truck while using a semi-autonomous feature called "Autopilot."

Foxx didn't specifically mention Tesla or the crash, which is under investigation.

He plans to propose guidelines for self-driving vehicles later this summer.

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Citation: DOT secretary wants more rigorous reviews of robotic cars (2016, July 19) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2016-07-dot-secretary-rigorous-robotic-cars.html
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