Commentary

Feds Suspend Self-Driving Shuttle Service

A self-driving vehicle trial just hit a speed bump.

Autonomous vehicles are gradually being tested on more roads with the U.S. government keeping a watchful eye.

Now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stepped in to temporarily halt U.S. passenger-carrying operations of a self-driving shuttle service in 10 states.

An injury occurred in an autonomous EasyMile vehicle when it made an emergency stop, causing a passenger to fall from her seat.

The vehicle was traveling at about seven miles per hour in a residential area of Columbus, Ohio, when it suddenly stopped, according to EasyMile.

In addition to Ohio, EasyMile has been running tests with 16 vehicles in California, Florida, Utah, Texas, New Jersey, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia and Delaware, all of which have been at least temporarily halted by NHTSA.

“We continuously work to improve it and the comfort of passengers and are running test loops on the ground for further analysis into the suddenness of the stop,” EasyMile stated.

Self-driving vehicle carrying things, such as packages for last-mile delivery, remain a better short-term application for autonomous vehicles.

1 comment about "Feds Suspend Self-Driving Shuttle Service".
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  1. R MARK REASBECK from www.USAonly.US , February 28, 2020 at 6:15 p.m.

    They ought to be concerned of the "Suddeness of the stop" of production vehicles when they find out NO ONE wants these things.

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