According to anonymous sources who spoke with Bloomberg, the incoming Trump administration could ease regulations governing the use of autonomous vehicles. The president-elect is said to have told advisors of the step, the aim of which is to speed up development and foster more innovations in the field.
There is a push within the Department of Transportation to prioritize the establishment of federal rules overseeing the use of fully autonomous vehicles. This week, Trump pegged former congressman from Wisconsin and Fox host Sean Duffy to head that department.
Authorities have of course been working on this for a number of years, and some progress has already been made at the federal level. In 2022, the NHTSA (National Highway Transport Safety Organization) established rules allowing vehicles equipped with self-driving technology to forego a steering wheel and pedals while still meeting safety norms.
However, those regulations do limit automakers to building no more than 2,500 such vehicles per year as part of an approved derogation. Car companies also face regulations that differ from state to state.
Simplifying and harmonizing rules would reduce obstacles to increasing the number of self-driving vehicles in service in the U.S. But it’s impossible not to make a connection between the drive to ease rules and the relationship Trump has developed with Elon Musk, who contributed significantly to the former president’s campaign and reelection.
Musk aims to launch a number of autonomous-drive vehicles, notably the Cybercab and Robovan that were recently unveiled by Tesla. The entrepreneur was recently tabbed by Trump to head an external consulting group that will look at making government more efficient.
