Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Google assembles a self-driving lobby dream team with Ford and Uber
Self-driving cars are the future. Everybody in the industry knows this. To them, it’s as evident as a semi truck bearing down on us at 80mph. However, the people who make laws governing how this technology aren’t in the industry, and a lot of them are nervous about this newfangled robot cars business. That’s why Google, Ford, Uber, Lyft, and Volvo just teamed up to form a mighty lobbying coalition to make sure the interests of the self-driving vehicles are represented.
It’s called the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, and their angle is to promote the statistical certainty that self-driving vehicles are hands-down better and safer drivers than human beings. The lobbying group has David Strickland at the helm, who is a former administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This is a solid leader for the group considering it’s the NHTSA is the organization tasks with coming up with regulations to govern self-driving cars this summer. Strickland’s connections are sure to be an asset. Of the group’s purpose, Strickland stated:
Self-driving vehicle technology will make America’s roadways safer and less congested… The best path for this innovation is to have one clear set of federal standards, and the Coalition will work with policymakers to find the right solutions that will facilitate the deployment of self-driving vehicles.
Although everyone’s eyes are on Google’s self-driving research at the moment, less observed is the fact that Volvo will be testing 100 self-driving cars in China in the near future, and Uber is building a massive Pittsburgh-based facility to house its own autonomous vehicle research. Ford is also investigating self-driving options, which makes this lobbying group a team of true giants in this nascent field.
What are your thoughts regarding the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets? Let us know your opinion in the comments below, and stay tuned to Android Authority for all the latest tech news from Android and beyond.
