CALIFORNIA DMV FORCES UBER'S SELF-DRIVING CARS OFF THE ROAD
After a weeklong conflict, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has forced Uber to remove its self-driving test vehicles from the roads in San Francisco by revoking the registrations of the company¹s vehicles, according to Engadget. The state had previously requested that Uber take its vehicles off the roads, but the company had refused to do so, arguing that its vehicles were not autonomous under the state¹s definition. This feud could be indicative of the struggles nonautomakers face in the self-driving car market more generally.
In an emailed statement, Uber reiterated that it's still committed to expanding its operations in California, but said it will refocus its efforts toward developing new workable statewide autonomous vehicle rules.
Uber¹s difficulties could be indicative of the struggles that tech companies face in the self-driving car space. Automakers like Ford and GM have been working with state and federal regulators for decades to ensure vehicle safety, while tech companies and ride-hailing services like Uber are new to road regulations, leading to problematic incidents such as this. With a company like Uber especially, which has clashed with cities and states in the past over licensing and other regulatory issues, the automotive space could prove exceptionally thorny given the number of regulatory bodies involved. But this isn't an issue specific to Uber, as other ride-hailing companies also looking to get into the autonomous ride-sharing business, such as Lyft or Gett, could face the same issue as they don't have an extensive history working with regulators and previously faced similar labor and licensing issues with some government authorities.
As more companies test autonomous vehicles, we could see further conflicts between the tech community and governments. Uber claimed in this instance that its vehicles do not fall under the California¹s definition of autonomous, which is defined as a vehicle that can operate without the direct supervision or involvement of a person. The DMV, however, rejected this claim. While the situation has been resolved for now, this was not the result of any agreement or accord, but rather the unilateral action of the state, revoking vehicle registrations for the time being until Uber agrees to comply with the state¹s autonomous vehicle permit requirements. Autonomous car development will occur more rapidly if companies and localities work together, but further incidents like this could degrade this relationship and hamper development.
via BI
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