The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to create a policy for the development of autonomous buses, transit systems trucks, and trains by deregulating the transportation industry, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao recently said at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The department will seek input from the industry on existing barriers to innovation.
Notices for public comment have already appeared on the Federal Register on behalf of the Federal Transit Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration.
The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) disagrees with Chao’s announcement and believes the government’s rush to autonomous vehicles is worrisome to transportation employees. It will cause consequences in the industry for years, SMART said.
“We have been working with Congress to limit legislation on self-driving vehicles to automobiles and to not include buses and trucks,” John Risch, SMART transportation division national legislative director, said. “So far our efforts on that front have been successful. We will continue to work on this issue, but the times they are a-changing.”
SMART is North America’s largest railroad operating union. The union is encouraging its members to publically comment.