Detroit — The CEO of America’s second-largest car company is calling on the federal government to set standards for fully or partially automated vehicles to enhance the safety of electronic driving systems.
By encouraging federal regulations, Ford CEO Jim Farley has become CEO of the car, becoming as popular on American roads as questions are being raised about the potential risks of cars. We are publicly aware of the need for closer monitoring of certain emerging technologies. In limited areas, companies are beginning to offer fully autonomous ride-hailing services.
Farley’s statement in an interview with The Associated Press follows close scrutiny by regulators of Tesla’s partially automated “autopilot” driver assist system involved in a series of high-profile crashes. Tesla is also testing “fully autonomous driving” software on public roads with selected owners.
“Of course,” Farley said when asked if federal regulations were needed. “Today, there are regulations in each state,” he said of fully autonomous vehicles. “They are serious about developing technology, not large-scale deployment of technology.”
He suggested that parliamentarians and the National Road Safety Authority were moving too slowly.
“Time is important,” Farley said, saying that Argo AI, a self-driving car company for which Ford is a major investor, is rapidly advancing the technology that enables Ford to launch self-driving services. explained.
Argo, which is testing self-driving cars with human backup drivers in six cities in the United States, expects Ford to be ready to offer ride hailing without human drivers by the end of next year. .. In the Phoenix area, Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo already offers a limited, fully autonomous ride service.
And later this year, Ford will offer a “blue cruise.” This is a unique, partially automated highway driving system that puts the car in the center of the lane and keeps a safe distance behind the traffic ahead, like Tesla’s autopilot. On a blue cruise, the driver can take his hand off the steering wheel. However, unlike the autopilot, it is monitored by the camera to make sure you are paying attention.
“We tested this system to get used to it and how it was implemented,” Farley said.
The CEO took an implicit jab at Tesla and said Ford was doing its own testing before deploying the technology.
“We don’t want our customers to have to test,” he said.
Drivers often detect Tesla’s attempts to monitor the driver by detecting the hand on the steering wheel. Earlier this month, a man was arrested in California with a man in the backseat and no one holding the steering wheel after police found Tesla on the freeway. The man told AP that his car was completely autonomous and designed to fit in the backseat.
That is not true. Tesla has explicitly told California regulators that both “autopilot” and “fully autonomous driving” are assist systems and that drivers need to be ready to intervene.
A message was left on Friday asking for comment from Tesla, which disbanded the media department.
Farley’s attitude towards regulation is unique in the automotive industry, and the automotive industry has generally favored voluntary guidelines rather than regulation. There are no federal regulations that specifically control electronic drive systems, but they do meet safety standards for all vehicles.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the industry’s largest trade association, last month proposed voluntary guidelines for partially automated systems. The government’s Department of Road Safety has taken a pragmatic approach and relied on voluntary cooperation so as not to interfere with life-saving innovation.
But some businesses want regulation. In April, Dan Ammann, CEO of GM’s self-driving car subsidiary Cruise, told Bloomberg Television that it was important for the United States and other countries to draw a “clear regulatory path.” Regulations are needed for the United States to maintain its leadership position, Amman said.
In 2015, Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson argued that patchwork of state regulations and lack of US federal oversight could delay the development and deployment of self-driving cars.
However, NHTSA says it has been considering new automation systems since the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Since then, agencies have dispatched investigators to investigate at least four collisions involving Tesla, which is suspected of involving the autopilot, and have solicited public comments on the development of self-driving car safety principles. I will. Over the past few years, NHTSA has sent teams to 29 Tesla cases.
Farley says he is happy with the new interest in regulation.
“It’s very encouraging that new executive leaders are keen to undertake the large-scale rollout of self-driving cars,” he said.
Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Company, stands next to the company’s new Ford F-150 Lightning on May 19 in Dearborn, Michigan.
Ford CEO: U.S. needs to regulate self-driving systems