On Jan. 19, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published findings concluding that the death of Joshua Brown, who had been driving a Tesla Model S in partially autonomous mode last spring, was not the automaker's fault.
This opens the door for the industry to move forward with its plans to put self-driving cars on the showroom floor. Will car buyers buy it?
Green light given
On May 7, 2016, Brown — a Tesla owner and technology enthusiast — was killed after colliding with a semitrailer truck on a Florida highway. The accident occurred when Brown was driving in the car's partially autonomous mode, making him the first person to die in a self-driving car.
NHTSA investigated the accident and last week concluding that a "safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time, and further examination of this issue does not appear to be warranted."
To be clear, the agency didn't intend to find the exact cause of the accident, but only whether the problem stemmed from Tesla's Autopilot hardware or software. Finding the exact cause of the crash is up to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is also running an investigation.
NHTSA's decision is the green light for an industry that had been holding its breath for so many months, wondering whether automakers and autonomous driving software and hardware suppliers would have to rein in their many ambitious plans.
Those plans were at the forefront at this year's 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The theme of the convention was how autonomous vehicles can make roads safer and free of accidents. According to USA Today, the frenzy at CES 2017 over self-driving cars was "palpable."
"Tech companies such as Nvidia, Intel, Harman join major auto brands such Audi, BMW and Volvo — 500 auto-tech companies large and small came to CES this year — in showing off their chips, sensors and smart cars," noted USA Today's Mike Snider.
Along with Tesla, Google and Mercedes, Hyundai was also on hand to present its self-driving Ioniq sedan. Meanwhile, automotive tech supplier Delphi presented an Audi SQ5 that was fitted with autonomous capabilities, showcasing its new partnership with computer vision processing company Mobileye.
Autonomous flying 'cars'
Of course, technological innovation was never meant to stagnate. No, the trajectory for technology is, and has always been, upward.
With the NHTSA's go-ahead, autonomous vehicle technology seems to be aiming for that historical path of progression. Airbus Group, for instance, is exploring the idea of a helicopter-style self-flying vehicle that would taxi multiple passengers over urban traffic and gridlock. The idea would be for an aviation version of Uber, where people could book rides using an app.
"One hundred years ago, urban transport went underground, now we have the technological wherewithal to go above ground," Airbus CEO Tom Enders noted in a conversation at the DLD digital tech conference in Munich, Germany. Enders added that he hoped to have a test flight for a single-person transport by the end of the year.
Of course, safety precautions must be heeded. Before leaving office, former President Barack Obama commented on the autonomous vehicle movement bubbling under the technological landscape.
"Right now, too many people die on our roads — 35,200 last year alone — with 94 percent of those the result of human error or choice," Obama said. "Automated vehicles have the potential to save tens of thousands of lives each year. And right now, for too many senior citizens and Americans with disabilities, driving isn't an option. Automated vehicles could change their lives.
"Safer, more accessible driving. Less congested, less polluted roads. That's what harnessing technology for good can look like. But we have to get it right. Americans deserve to know they'll be safe today even as we develop and deploy the technologies of tomorrow."
The Department of Transportation rolled out "new rules of the road for automated vehicles," including a 15-point safety checklist for manufacturers. Obama also mentioned how his administration planned to give guidance to states on how to wisely regulate these new technologies, so passengers can safely pass from state to state without worry that self-driving vehicle safety regulations will wane.
Of course, now that the presidency has traded administrations from Obama to Donald Trump, the real question is how the current White House will approach the autonomous vehicle industry. Obama's administration did not really crack down too hard on the new technology out of fear of smothering its growth.
According to an article by The Economist: "The 15-point guidelines released in September by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which cover everything from data protection to allowing a sober person to take control of the vehicle in the event of a malfunction, are voluntary for now, although the agency does plan to [formalize] them soon. But under Mr. Trump, regulation of autonomous vehicles could be far more laissez-faire — or even actively supportive."
This is good news for an industry that, until recently, seemed to be waiting for the last shoe to drop. Now that it seems the NHTSA have given the green light and the executive branch has given the OK, the technology will continue to move toward a future where we autonomous vehicles can move us from fantasy to reality — whether by land, or by air.
