The U.S. Transportation Department has given a boost to companies working on automated long-haul trucks, saying an artificial intelligence system could constitute a “driver” under federal trucking rules in a bid to ease barriers to the technology, according to an article by Property Casualty 360.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will no longer assume that a commercial vehicle driver is human, according to the Transportation Department’s “Automated Vehicles 3.0” guidance released Thursday. That is an initial step to allow trucks to travel across state lines piloted by an autonomous driving system, according to the article.
The safety regulator also signaled a willingness to overrule states standing in the way of self-driving trucks and is also studying how to amend existing rules to better accommodate self-driving systems.
“The FMCSA is dedicated to supporting the creativity and innovation required to promote automated driving systems, including the reform of regulations that may unnecessarily hinder progress,” said FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez at an event announcing the new policy.
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