The updated rules replace outdated language that assumed vehicles always had a human driver and manual control.
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Fully self-driving cars in the United States will no longer need to have manual controls such as pedals or steering wheels to meet safety standards.
The new passenger safety rules announced Thursday replace older rules that were written under the assumption that vehicles must be controlled by a human driver at all times.
In a statement announcing the “first of its kind” safety rule, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said outdated language in vehicle safety standards is no longer relevant for vehicles designed for full self-driving.
“Occupant protection standards are currently written for conventionally designed vehicles and use terms such as ‘driver’ and ‘steering wheel’ that are not meaningful for vehicle designs that lack, for example, a steering wheel or other driver controls,” NHTSA said.
“For vehicles designed to be operated solely by ADS (Automated Driving System), manually operated driving controls are logically unnecessary,” the agency added.
The rule change comes after US carmaker General Motors and its self-driving technology unit Cruise petitioned the NHTSA last month for permission to build and deploy self-driving cars without human control.
Cruise stressed at the time that the Origin pod vehicle “will not rely on human-centric features like steering wheels or sun visors,” and production is scheduled to begin in early 2023.
New federal rules, first proposed in March 2020, emphasize that self-driving cars must offer the same level of occupant protection as human-driven vehicles.
“While vehicles with ADS replace the driver with a machine, the need to ensure human safety remains the same and must be built into the vehicle from the beginning,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Stephen Cliff.
The agency said safety standards that have been applied so far do not prevent manufacturers from selling self-driving cars as long as they are equipped with manual controls.
The NHTSA said it continues to consider changes to other safety standards, and manufacturers may need to apply for an exemption from the agency to sell vehicles equipped with ADS.
