Self-driving cars face uncertain path to U.S. deployment

WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Automakers and tech companies face a bumpy road to clearing regulatory roadblocks to deploying autonomous vehicles (AVs) without human controls on public roads, industry officials and lawmakers said. On Wednesday, Ford Motor Co (F.N) and Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) said they would shutter self-driving startup Argo AI, saying the technology was a long way off. The same is true when it comes to rules around the technology as well. Legislation in Congress has been stalled for more than five years over how to amend regulations to encompass self-driving cars, including the scope of consumer and legal protections. And U.S. regulators have given no indication when they might act on petitions to initially approve a few thousand self-driving cars on U.S. roads without steering wheels or brake pedals.