Steering wheel-less cars could be launched in 2019
To meet safety standards, GM will launch a line of autonomous cars without steering wheels. The company has filed a petition with the US Department of Transportation on this issue.
If the U.S. Department of Transportation accepts GM’s safety recommendations, the company could roll out a car without a steering wheel or accelerator pedal next year. The car is a fully autonomous version of the Chevy Bolt, called the 2019 Cruise AV.
The company describes it as the first fully autonomous car, with no driver, steering wheel, accelerator or manual controls.
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| GM's car model without steering wheel and accelerator pedal. Photo:Engaget |
Compared to the Chevy Bolts GM is testing in California, the Cruise AV is different in many ways. It has no buttons to control it, no matter which seat you sit in, you are just a passenger. It can also open and close its doors.
Currently, autonomous vehicles do not meet federal safety standards. Automakers can apply for tax exemptions, but the government only covers 2,500 per year.
GM president Dan Ammann said the company is not seeking a waiver, but will instead meet the standards in a different way. He said the company will put airbags on the passenger side, which would help the vehicle meet the safety standards. The company has filed a petition seeking permission to do so.
Last year, automakers and trucking companies joined together to call for changes to the law. Michael Abelson, GM's vice president, said that without changes, new technologies would take years to implement and a series of accidents could occur.
As regulations change, new automakers will be able to introduce fully autonomous cars. GM may be ahead, but rivals like Ford, Mercedes, and Waymo are also planning to introduce steering-less cars.
