In the grace of Tesla, FEDS weakens the rules of reporting self -driving

Car and technology manufacturers Developers test and publish Self -driving The advantages of the advanced driver’s assistance will not have to report detailed information about the general accident to the federal government, according to a new framework issued today by the US Department of Transport.

These movements are a blessing for self -driving car makers and broader vehicle technology, which complained that the requirements for reporting federal collision are very stressful and repeated. But the new rules will limit the information available to those who decline and study independent vehicles and the features of the driver’s assistance – technological developments related to general safety, but companies that often protect them from the general view because they involve royal systems spent by companies on billions.

the government New orders “It refers to the features of the driver’s help such as the driver’s help features like Timing‘s Full self -driving (under supervision)and General Motors‘ Super cruiseAnd FordBlue trip. These incidents, as observed, are only “more common”.

The new rules of companies allow to protect from public relations some details of the breakdown, including issuing automation included in accidents and “accounts” about accidents, on the basis that this information contains “secret commercial information”. Self -driving vehicle developers, such as Waymo and Zoox, will not need to report incidents that include property damage less than $ 1,000, if the accident does not involve the default of the self -driving car on its own or hit a vehicle or another object. (That is, for example, federal general reports on some simple barrier competitions in which another car affects another car. But companies still have to report accidents in California, which have stricter regulations about self -driving.)

In a change, makers of advanced drivers assist, such as full driving of the self, only have to report accidents if they lead to deaths, hospitals, airbags deployment or a blow to a “user on the weak road”, such as the infantry or the cyclist-but it is no longer forced to report the accident if the car concerned needs to withdraw.

“This seems to be the door to a large number of additional reports,” says William Wallace, who calls for safety for consumer reports. “It is a great sculpture.” Changes move in the opposite direction of what his organization defended: federal rules that fight the direction of “reporting major accidents” between advanced car technology makers.

The new DOT framework will also allow auto manufacturers to test self -driving technology with more vehicles that do not meet all federal safety standards as part of a new exemption. This process, which is currently being used for foreign cars imported to the United States, will now include, but is now expanded to the locally designed, “Repetitive Review” “is the comprehensive safety of the car.” The process can be used, for example, more quickly approved by vehicles that do not come with guidance wheels, brake pedals, rear vision mirrors, or other model safety features that are meaningless when driving cars by computers.