What We’re Reading

September 14, 2022

• There’s no driving test for self-driving cars in the US - but there should be (The Verge, September 12, 2022)

  While it faces increased pressure from US agencies and lawmakers, Tesla’s FSD has not even received regulatory approval in the EU. Tesla also has had to make adjustments to its Autopilot feature in the EU, and must obtain approvals before applying over-the-air updates.

  According to this article, a new US approach may not be too far off. “With its blurring of lines between driver and vehicle, the automation of cars is forcing US regulators to rethink their traditional approach. A federal official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said that NHTSA is currently exploring how it could structure a preapproval process for autonomous technologies, a move that could finally force US carmakers to ask permission to deploy a new technology—rather than beg forgiveness after something goes wrong.”

• Truly autonomous cars may be impossible without helpful human touch (Reuters, September 12, 2022)

  Just as Elon Musk again promises “completely self-driving cars” by the end of the year, and startups continue to raise billions of dollars to develop autonomous technology, others caution that driverless cars will—and should—never be a reality. Even Kyle Vogt, CEO of GM’s Cruise division, rejects the idea that human “overseers” should eventually be phased out: “I can provide my customers peace of mind knowing there is always a human there to help if needed. . . . I don't know why I'd ever want to get rid of that.”

  Human oversight remains critical as truly driverless cars “are far behind the optimistic rollout schedules predicted just a few years ago.” Cruise’s Origin, which is designed without a steering wheel, brake, or accelerator, will not even enter production until early next year. And, while Tesla has released FSD in beta (in the US, see story above), it has come up empty year after year on its promises of true self-driving.

  “When a robot driver encounters an edge case, ‘it puts its hands up and says, I don't know what's going on,' said Koosha Kaveh, CEO of Imperium Drive, which is using humans as remote operators for cars in the English city of Milton Keynes. Over time, those people will act as ‘air traffic controllers,’ supervising a growing number of autonomous cars.” Although Cruise’s CEO says that its vehicles rely on human backup drivers only around 1% of the time, the experts quoted here all appear to agree that “zero edge cases” is unrealistic, making human intervention necessary.

• Traffic Safety Agency Issues Final Guidelines for Vehicle Cybersecurity (Nextgov, September 8, 2022)

  NHTSA published its updated cybersecurity guidelines on Friday, September 9, “focusing on cryptographic techniques to mitigate hacking risks as vehicles become more technologically integrated” and issues such as right-to-repair, per public request. The guidelines have broad application, from small to large vehicles, and from vehicle design to manufacture. 

  “Given the diversity in the organizational structure of the automotive industry, officials noted that different suppliers and manufacturers have varying cybersecurity threat levels. Regardless, officials recommended relevant companies and stakeholders take adequate security precautions.”

  The guidelines were first issued in 2016. The updates now are timely—as Electrek reported yesterday, new relay attacks may allow thieves to steal Tesla vehicles “with a quick hack.”