Trump's Autonomous Car Guidance Puts Automakers in Driver's Seat

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao on Tuesday rolled out revamped federal guidance for autonomous vehicle manufacturers, putting the Trump administration's deregulatory stamp on the fast-developing industry.

The recommendations, dubbed “A Vision for Safety 2.0,” largely builds on the voluntary blueprint laid out for driverless car designers and developers in September 2016 by the Obama administration. But it also makes a number of industry-sought changes and clearly sets the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's role as one of championing—and not intensely regulating—the technology.

“Emerging technologies require an approach that ensures safety while encouraging innovation and preserving creativity and innovation,” Chao said in a speech at the University of Michigan's Mcity test facility for driverless vehicles. “Our goal at the Department of Transportation is to help usher in this new era of transportation innovation and safety, ensuring that our country remains a global leader in autonomous technology.”