Government Will Consider Google Computer to be Car’s Driver

In a letter sent to the search giant on February 4, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that it will interpret the word “driver” as a self-driving vehicle in the traditional sense that automobiles have had human drivers during the last over 100 years.

According to Bloomberg, NHTSA Chief Counsel Paul Hemmersbaugh commented that if there are no human occupants and the auto can actually drive the vehicle, then it is more reasonable to identify the driver as whatever is doing the driving; which is the case with the American multinational company where its Google AI system or self driving system is the one that is actually driving the vehicle.

Google’s autonomous cars doesn’t depend on human operators and lack ordinary input methods, like the steering wheel, gas and brake pedals, parking brake, turn signals and mirrors.

Arkansasonline report said, Google said the requirement wasn’t necessary because the electronic driver can stop the cars. The U.S. government agency said that when it comes to regulating driverless vehicles, computers and software systems can be considered the “driver” of the vehicle.

The NHTSA ruling puts driverless-cars within the criteria required to pass the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards test, BBC noted.

The letter is a significant step toward gaining approval for driverless cars on public roadways as major automakers and tech companies join Google in a race to develop self-driving cars. Google has a very impressive track record regarding the self-driving vehicles and accidents.

“Certainly NHTSA is looking well over the horizon, looking to encourage any kind of driving technology that makes things safer, and certainly autonomous driving promises to do that”, he said.

The NHTSA’s determination isn’t surprising; Queenie Wong wrote last month when the Obama administration announced a federal self-driving initiative that the NHTSA was considering “seeking new authorities” for autonomous vehicles including those without a driver.

Having determined that the SDS could be considered the driver, NHTSA’s letter interprets how each section of the FMVSS applies.

That policy could eventually lead to consistent national regulations for autonomous cars.

Foxx said the government believes self-driving vehicles could eventually cut traffic deaths, decrease highway congestion and improve the environment. Right now, individual states like California, Florida and Nevada have their own regulations.

Google’s self-driving vehicles are now legally the same as human drivers. As regards to building autonomous cards, the company is likely to partner with some established automakers to finally build self-driving cars that will go on public roads. Google’s plans call for a vehicle that would be completely operated by the SDS technology, the NHTSA said in its lengthy response to Google’s letter posted this week on its Website.