Driverless Cars Get Government Support As U.S. Regulators Roll Out Framework For Autonomous Vehicles

With driverless cars on the horizon, the government is adding its two cents on the matter. On Tuesday, the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) released a four-part policy outlining safety measures to ensure all vehicles are ready to be on the road. The four sections of the policy--created in consultation with experts in the field, state governments, safety advocates and more--include a 15 point safety assessment, a Model State policy, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) current regulatory tools and modern regulatory tools. According to the DOT, the goal of the policy is to provide car makers with a framework. "Automated vehicles have the potential to save thousands of lives, driving the single biggest leap in road safety that our country has ever taken," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a statement.