Answers.Body: <p><a href="https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/autonomous/disengagement_report_2016" rel="nofollow noreferrer">This answer</a> addresses the incorrect assumption that the US government prohibits it (that is, here's no federal law against it, but state laws vary), so I will address the incorrect assumption that there now exists "well-designed AI".  </p>
  
  <p>If you look at the <a href="https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/autonomous/disengagement_report_2016" rel="nofollow noreferrer">actual reports</a> submitted by the autonomous car companies who have tested in California, you'll see that most can't go more than a couple of hours of driving without an <strong>unexpected</strong> need for operator intervention.  Waymo's (Google's autonomous car spinoff) system is more reliable as far as unexpected interventions, but their report emphasizes that <em>routine</em> operator interventions happen many times a day.  Autonomous vehicles that can operate without a driver in any but the most controlled circumstances are still years away.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-06-07T14:50:32.403Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-04-30T13:43:50.113Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-04-30T13:43:50.113Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: antlersoft
Answers.Body: <p>The question is based on a false fact: in Michigan, it is currently legal (under certain conditions described <a href="http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/autonomous-vehicles-self-driving-vehicles-enacted-legislation.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a> ) for an autonomous car to operate without a driver. </p>
  
  <p>The reason that the federal government has not enacted any direct legislation (although they have enacted guidelines) on autonomous cars is because it is still a developing technology (as great as those Cruise videos look, I wouldn't trust most companies working on the technology to have driverless cars on the road without operators) and that it arguably falls under the state governments jurisdictions. Some companies have appealed to the House to pass national legislation to allow autonomous testing (<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2017/02/14/gm-toyota-and-lyft-urge-congress-to-set-nationwide-self-driving-car-standards/#66101394376e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">GM, Toyota, Lyft</a>), but nothing has come of it yet.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-06-07T01:55:27.140Z
Answers.Text: Also, here's a video of Google testing their operator-less car a few years ago on California roads: [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_d3MCkIvg8)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jor
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-06-07T01:50:17.213Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-04-30T13:46:08.677Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-04-30T13:46:08.677Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jor
Body: <p>If we have well designed autonomous AI vehicles, then why won't the USA government allow it to be witnessed in the public?</p>
  
Tags: <ethics><autonomous-vehicles><google>
Title: Why is it illegal for Google's autonomous car to drive on the road by itself?
UserDisplayName: Slightly Higher Average User
ThreadText: # Why is it illegal for Google's autonomous car to drive on the road by itself?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2017-06-07)
  
  If we have well designed autonomous AI vehicles, then why won't the USA government allow it to be witnessed in the public?
  
  **Tags:** ethics, autonomous-vehicles, google
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2017-06-07. Score: 3 | Accepted answer
  
  The question is based on a false fact: in Michigan, it is currently legal (under certain conditions described [here](http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/autonomous-vehicles-self-driving-vehicles-enacted-legislation.aspx) ) for an autonomous car to operate without a driver.
  
  The reason that the federal government has not enacted any direct legislation (although they have enacted guidelines) on autonomous cars is because it is still a developing technology (as great as those Cruise videos look, I wouldn't trust most companies working on the technology to have driverless cars on the road without operators) and that it arguably falls under the state governments jurisdictions. Some companies have appealed to the House to pass national legislation to allow autonomous testing ([GM, Toyota, Lyft](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2017/02/14/gm-toyota-and-lyft-urge-congress-to-set-nationwide-self-driving-car-standards/#66101394376e)), but nothing has come of it yet.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Also, here's a video of Google testing their operator-less car a few years ago on California roads: [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_d3MCkIvg8)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2017-06-07. Score: 1
  
  [This answer](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/autonomous/disengagement_report_2016) addresses the incorrect assumption that the US government prohibits it (that is, here's no federal law against it, but state laws vary), so I will address the incorrect assumption that there now exists "well-designed AI".
  
  If you look at the [actual reports](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/autonomous/disengagement_report_2016) submitted by the autonomous car companies who have tested in California, you'll see that most can't go more than a couple of hours of driving without an **unexpected** need for operator intervention. Waymo's (Google's autonomous car spinoff) system is more reliable as far as unexpected interventions, but their report emphasizes that *routine* operator interventions happen many times a day. Autonomous vehicles that can operate without a driver in any but the most controlled circumstances are still years away.
  
  
  ---
  
  