Uber is famously succeeding with the ask-for-forgivness-not-permission approach.
A lot of automakers may wind up borrowing that page from the Uber.
Volvo just put out a call for the US to regulate self-driving cars:
Swedish automotive group Volvo Cars Wednesday urged U.S. federal authorities to impose nationwide guidelines for self-driving cars, vowing to accept full liability should one if its cars be involved in an accident while in autonomous mode.
Elon Musk has also voiced concern over the lack of regulation:
Musk, who spoke Tuesday at the Automotive News World Congress conference, said he expects the lack of clear federal regulations covering self-driving cars could delay their introduction until 2022 or 2023.
These are smart guys, and I’m sure they’re aware of Uber’s success vis a vis regulators.
To at least some extent, presumably they are angling for regulations that will reduce their own liability or box competitors out of the market.
But, if companies can get driver-less cars into the hands of consumers before the regulations clamp down, then those consumers will wind up powering the driver-less car lobby.
To take just one example, a key market segment for driver-less cars will be the elderly. And the elderly vote. A lot.
Originally published at www.davidincalifornia.com on October 7, 2015.
David Silver 