Technology in the driving seat

Technology is in the driving seat since driverless cars have got regulators on the run. This WSJ article claims that regulators acknowledge they are racing to keep pace with companies already putting driverless cars on the road for tests and other limited uses in the U.S.A.

The US government is now proposing to spend billions to accelerate the acceptance of driverless cars on U.S. roads and curb both traffic fatalities and travel delays. This is a huge undertaking, not least from a legislative point of view, and will need guidance on preferred performance characteristics and testing methods for driverless cars, plus collaboration across states. Similarly, the lack of clear guidance from regulators is among the barriers to development across Europe and in Japan. Nevertheless the potential benefits are far reaching from human and financial perspectives.

Once again it is fascinating to see how the power of technology investment and media interest have combined to galvanise government actions. Some will say this has been a long time coming, but this particular dynamic is becoming more widespread.