California Opens Pathway for Cars that Lack Steering Wheel
California regulators have changed course and opened a pathway for the public to get self-driving cars of the future that lack a steering wheel or pedals.
It’s not going to happen immediately — automakers and tech companies are still testing prototypes.
But, in a shift, the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles said in a revision of draft regulations released late Friday that the most advanced self-driving cars would no longer be required to have a licensed driver if federal officials deem them safe enough.
Automakers See High Stakes Mobility As An Opportunity
The stakes are high for automakers in the future of mass transportation.
At a conference in metro Detroit, Andreas Mai, who recently served as the director of smart connected vehicles at Cisco Systems, estimated the size of the mobility industry -- which would include autonomous vehicles, ride-sharing networks and connectivity -- to be worth about $5 trillion over the next decade.
The additional value of mobility will be created from the transfer of the market from one stakeholder to another, Mai said. “Some people will lose.”
To mitigate the threat of losing out in an environment that is becoming increasingly crowded with technology giants and young startups, automakers are pivoting to alternative revenue streams and technologies.
Employers Have Important Role in Reducing Traffic Fatalities and Injuries
The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) today kicked off its 2016 Drive Safely Work Week™ campaign, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the annual safe-driving initiative targeted to employers.
More than 2500 organizations representing approximately 13 million employees are set to take part in the week that promotes safe-driving education and awareness to all employees—company drivers and commuters alike.
The campaign comes on the heels of the announcement by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that traffic fatalities in 2015 increased 7.2% over the previous year, the greatest percentage increase in 50 years.
Fighting Car Hacking Growing into Big Business
After being ignored for years, the cybersecurity of automobiles has become a major concern for carmakers and is now expected to grow quickly into a $759 million industry by 2023, according to a new study by IHS Automotive.
The IHS study noted one result of connected car growth – there are estimated 112 million connected vehicles on the road now – is that cars and trucks are now more susceptible to cyberattacks through the many wireless and wired connections.
Hackers are getting more savvy in perpetrating cyberattacks – more easily and cost effectively – on connected vehicles, IHS concluded, noting that carmakers have increased their efforts to make systems more secure.
Susan Miller: The Power of a Fresh Start
Fleet industry leader Susan Miller talks about the power of getting a fresh start, and how it's good to leave bad habits behind.
