Robocar Without Steering Wheel on the Road? US Considers Relaxing Autonomous Vehicle Regulations

The U.S. government is reevaluating a rule requiring steering wheels on self-driving cars. If relaxed, this could accelerate the commercialization of autonomous vehicles by companies like Tesla. Jonathan Morrison, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), stated the rule's repeal is under consideration, arguing that mandatory manual controls are unnecessary for vehicles designed without human drivers. Current federal safety standards, based on human-operated vehicles, would require regulatory amendments for autonomous vehicles lacking steering wheels and pedals. NHTSA has initiated rule revisions, including eliminating manual brake pedal requirements for vehicles using full autonomous driving systems (ADS), though braking performance standards remain unchanged. This regulatory shift aligns with Trump-era efforts to modernize autonomous vehicle regulations, gradually adapting existing safety standards for self-driving cars. Tesla, developing a two-passenger robocar without steering wheels or pedals, is expected to benefit most, along with Waymo and Zoox.