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Comment by fallingmeat | Hacker News Reader

Why is this allowed on public roadways and not confined to a lab until reasonable levels of safety (either via developmental process or time-in-service) can be demonstrated and verified by a regulatory agency? FAA wouldn't let fly a self-proclaimed 'safe' and fully autonomous aircraft around national airspace without such assurance. Why is this different?

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Because what happened is exactly what you said?

Did it? Which agency audited and approved the development process? What was the basis for conformance (to what minimum standards are these vehicle systems said to meet)? What standards are used to demonstrate development and test compliance to that basis?

The article mentions they got a permit from the California DMV, so if you want answers to those questions I would start with the agency that issued the permit.

They got approved by California DMV. The procedure to get such an approval is section 227.38 of [1].

There is no audit or anything of the sort. It's just a form to fill where the company must certify that their car is good enough and they have certain processes in place to take remote control of the vehicle if needed, and to deal with an eventual accident.

> "The manufacturer certifies that the autonomous vehicles are capable of operating without the presence of a driver inside the vehicle and that the autonomous technology meets the description of a level 4 or level 5 automated driving system under SAE International's Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles, standard J3016 (SEP2016), which is hereby incorporated by reference."

Basically anyone can get approved, as long as they can prove they can deal with the consequences (sufficient insurance coverage etc.).

It reminds me a little bit of the FAA letting Boeing certify the 737 Max themselves.

[1]: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2020/06/Adopted-Regula...

Thanks for the context. So basically there is no audit or certification, just an assertion from the company.

Probably for the same reason that people who've never driven before are allowed to drive on public roads. The added danger isn't that high

FAA do let experimental aircraft fly

Over dense populated cities?

After enough flight testing, done solely by the aircraft builder/owner.

with extremely limited operation capability...because its experimental. Like, not where it has large risk of hurting others. Thats what I dont get about this experimental nonsense on public roads

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