PennDOT sets guidelines for self-driving cars
The state Department of Transportation revealed a plan Monday to increase oversight of self-driving cars on public roadways.
PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards provided details of a voluntary testing policy on the opening day of a two-day Automated Vehicle Summit in Pittsburgh.
“Given public concerns about safety on Pennsylvania roadways, we must implement interim oversight policies while we await legislative action on our request for permanent authorization,” Richards said.
This is an interim policy based on work by the Automated Vehicle Policy Task Force, which was created in June 2016 and made recommendations to the General Assembly that November.
In the next 60 to 90 days, Richards will meet with automated vehicle testers regarding the interim policies, and the task force will reconvene to update testing policy recommendations that are now in place.
PennDOT will urge self-driving car firms to submit a “notice of testing” to PennDOT that includes basic information about the company; verification that highly automated vehicles “meet all federal and state safety standards and meet” PennDOT policies; proof of a driver/operator training program; names of approved drivers and valid driver’s license numbers; a list of vehicles in the program; routes or geographic locations for testing; proof of insurance.
The department wants companies to immediately stop testing vehicles that are known to share hardware or software with a vehicle that is part of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation.
Three weeks ago, a self-driving Uber vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Ariz.
“HAVs hold much promise for enhanced mobility and economic prosperity,” Richards said. “But much work remains to be done before the technology matures to the point where widespread use will be accepted. Pennsylvania welcomes the continued testing of HAVs, but wants to do so in a way to ensure safety is not compromised.”