Autonomous vehicle technology has changed a lot in a short period. Government regulators have been increasingly scrutinizing claims about the tech’s capabilities while companies have shifted to focus on developing and improving advanced driver-assist systems.
Ford is one of these companies, recently withdrawing a petition to federal regulators that had asked to skip seven safety standards for a small fleet of driverless vehicles aimed at commercial applications like local deliveries. In July 2022, Ford and General Motors asked the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to exempt these autonomous vehicles from requiring traditional controls like a steering wheel. According to a new Automotive News report, citing unpublished federal documents, Ford withdrew its petition last month.
