Companies must solve the problem of preventing unmanned vehicles from operating emergency services, the United States says.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has warned manufacturers of self-driving cars that they must urgently address what it calls a "clear pattern" of self-driving cars impeding the work of law enforcement and emergency services, Reuters reports.
In a letter to industry representatives, the agency's head, Jonathan Morrison, noted that NHTSA has documented numerous cases of autonomous vehicles entering active emergency sites, blocking the passage of ambulances or fire trucks, or not responding properly to flashing lights, flares, smoke, fire and traffic cones. He described this as a "functional disability" and stated that an autonomous vehicle that cannot safely interact with rescuers poses a danger to society.
current automotive news in our Telegram channelNHTSA plans to meet with developers before the end of the month to find solutions, although specific companies have not been named. This warning came after reports of incidents involving Waymo vehicles, in particular an incident in Dallas where they allegedly obstructed the passage of fire trucks, as well as other cases where they allegedly blocked an ambulance or entered police operations. The NHTSA and NTSB are also investigating separate incidents involving Waymo involving school buses and a collision with a child in the Santa Monica school district.