What does a new DOT chief mean for autonomous cars?
That’s a stance that bodes well for the autonomous car industry, according to Ian Adams, a senior fellow at R Street Institute, a free-market think tank.
“If her confirmation hearing was any indication, she will champion the sort of regulatory non-intervention that will be crucial for the development of self-driving vehicles,” he said. “The Trump administration will be concerned about jobs, but I don’t get the sense that [Chao] will slow the technology for that reason. I think they will be looking at other creative ways to address employment instead.”
The Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets advocacy group, whose members include Ford, Lyft, Google, Uber and Volvo, also applauded Chao’s confirmation in a statement released Jan. 31.
