US auto regulators want to kill robotaxi brake pedals
Requiring driverless vehicles to keep human brake controls impedes innovation, the NHTSA says
If a self-driving car is going to stop, it may need to stop itself. US vehicle safety regulators are proposing to let robotaxi designers get rid of brake pedals, calling regulatory requirements for manually operated methods of stopping driverless vehicles a barrier to innovation.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking on Friday to modify federal brake safety standards for light vehicles by eliminating the requirement for vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS) and no manual controls to have foot-operated service brakes or manually operated parking brakes.
The NHTSA argues the controls themselves could pose a safety risk by allowing passengers to intentionally or unintentionally override an ADS. Existing braking performance requirements would remain in place, the agency said, even as brake pedals and handbrakes are on the chopping...
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