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Still Hung Up on Your Conventional Car? Driverless Ones Now Fully Cleared in the U.S.

Tech is evolving so fast that Australian cyberpunk Upgrade 2018 movie has never felt so real. While we are still marveling over the capabilities of electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles are already taking center stage. In the U.S., federal vehicle safety regulators have given the green light for the production and deployment of driverless cars.
Hyundai Mobis 6 photos
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Supercar Blondie
The Cruise Origin vehicle starts entering the production phaseThe Cruise Origin vehicle starts entering the production phaseThe Cruise Origin vehicle starts entering the production phaseThe Cruise Origin vehicle starts entering the production phaseThe Cruise Origin vehicle starts entering the production phase
Let’s face it. We haven’t slightly gotten used to electric vehicles. The instant torque, real-time updates, driver-assist features are still very new. But time waits for no man. The future is already here.

Driverless vehicles offer many positives; there will be fewer fatalities on our highways, more parking spaces, and you wouldn’t have to worry about traffic snarl-ups. However, a 2018 study had an odd discovery - once autonomous cars get here, there will be a massive organ shortage.

Organ shortage or not, the United States National Highway Safety Administration on Thursday cleared the way for the production and deployment of fully driverless vehicles, Reuters reported. Unlike autonomous driving systems such as Tesla’s FSD or GM’s Super Cruise, driverless cars won’t have manual controls, steering wheels or pedals.

According to the 155-page document, the American federal vehicle safety regulator allows automakers to develop and release autonomous cars without manual controls as long as they meet other safety regulations.

During the 2022 CES, Hyundai Mobis showcased some concept cars, including the hydrogen fuel cell M. Vision 2go and the M Vision Pop electric car. While they are not fully driverless, they are a glimpse of what the near future holds for public transportation. The manufacturer considers itself a global innovator in automotive technology.

The U.S. doesn’t have many driverless vehicles. Those in operation include backup manual controls to meet federal safety standards.

Retired UK Secretary of State for Transport Claire Perry in 2018 said she had a vision of school-run driverless cars that would drop and pick school kids. With the rapid implementation of new technology into vehicles, her dream might not be too far after all.
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Editor's note: Images featured are for illustration purposes

About the author: Humphrey Bwayo
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Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life.
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