Go slow on driver-less cars, auto makers urge regulators

Technology giants like Google, Apple and leading car makers are aiming to make self-driving cars a reality as soon as possible.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration asked automakers in January at the Detroit Auto Show for a comprehensive plan for autonomous car roll out in just six months, US News & World Reports, reported.

However, this does not imply self-driving cars would be available in show rooms in six months; instead lawmakers and regulators will then have to spend time framing rules and regulations for whenever these vehicle are on the road. According to an estimate, it could take about eight years.

If that seems slow, it is still too fast for the Association of Global Automakers, which has come forward to warn the NHTSA that the timeline was way too fast for the technology's current stage, 

While many automakers are on board with autonomous cars, like Nissan, many acknowledge that there are simply too many variables for a concrete policy to be put in place.

Even if new laws were passed to regulate self-driving cars in America, the roads are nowhere near ready for the technology. Many self-driving technologies rely on clearly painted road markings, which are not in place in several metropolitan areas.

Autonomous vehicles are not yet ready to recognise policemen and take their directions, and traffic control devices, like stoplights and turn arrows, can vary wildly from state to state (or even city to city).

The government fired back by saying that self-driving cars are already technically on the road, with many safety systems in new vehicles allowing the car to take control of itself to maintain its lane or prevent a collision.

Perhaps a compromise can be reached between the two parties, with the government working quickly to see what regulations these safety systems might need, but taking their time on more complete systems that, in many cases, aren't even fully developed yet.