DETROIT — The federal government will propose best practices for safely operating autonomous vehicles within six months.
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Thursday that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also will develop a model policy for states to follow if they decide to allow autonomous cars on public roads. That policy — which will be developed within six months — could help form the basis of a consistent national policy. Right now, individual states like California and Nevada have their own regulations for autonomous vehicle testing.
Foxx was set to make the announcements Thursday during an appearance at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Foxx also says President Obama’s budget would provide $4 billion over the next decade for programs to test connected vehicles. Some vehicles already on the road can communicate with each other, or with traffic lights or stop signs, through cellular signals. Eventually, the technology could prevent accidents, since vehicles could warn each other before they crash at an intersection.
