The Jetson's-like future of full self-driving cars seems to be on the rocks - but unfortunately the the most safety-minded companies are shutting down while the worst still motor on | Streetsblog USA

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

Last week, automakers Ford and Volkswagen announced that they would end their investments in Argo AI, prompting the sudden shutdown of the automated driving startup that had long been considered among the best-positioned to deliver on the promises of so-called driverless cars without further entrenching car dependency.

Unlike many of its rivals, Argo largely focused on developing fleet vehicles that would operate only in limited roadway scenarios — also known as “Level Four” AVs — rather than selling what many experts now consider to be a pipe dream of personally owned robocars that can operate in even the most complex pedestrian-oriented environments. . . .

Argo.ai seemed to take road safety more seriously than many competitors, including a creative collaboration with @BikeLeague.

A lot of people have seen Argo as one of the AV "good guys." . . .

Ironically, Tesla was revealed to be facing its own potential setbacks on the same day the Argo news broke — though whether those setbacks will stick remains to be seen.

Journalists at Reuters recently made public that the Department of Justice has been investigating the controversial automaker for more than a year, following a string of crashes involving their cars’ Autopilot feature, which critics say is misleadingly named.

Link: 

The Jetson's-like future of full self-driving cars seems to be on the rocks - but unfortunately the the most safety-minded companies are shutting down while the worst still motor on | Streetsblog USA

MoBikeFed comment: A related issue is that Congress still has not issued its self-driving vehicle regulations, despite years of pressure from the industry for Congress to pass a "light touch," "hands-off," "industry led" approach to regulating self-driving vehicles on public streets.

The issue is likely to come to a head in the next Congress, and the current troubles in the self-driving vehicle industry appear to be making Congressional leaders *more* likely to pursue a "light-touch" regulatory environment.

This is unfortunate, because the past ten years have shown the self-driving vehicles do have the *potential* to increase roadway safety, and the *potential* to be able to operate safely around people who walk, bicycle, and use the micromobility options like scooters and ebikes that are becoming popular in cities across the world.

But that potential for greater safety can easily be compromised if profit becomes the main motive and comprehensive safety is not continuously prioritized and measured.

We will see what the future brings . . .