The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposes a voluntary program called the ADS-equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program (AV STEP) for vehicles with automated driving systems (ADS). The program aims to review and oversee these vehicles, focusing on safety and public transparency. Participants can apply to perform specific operations or seek exemptions from certain safety standards. The program is designed to help NHTSA monitor the safe development of ADS while collecting data that could inform future safety standards.
Simple Explanation
The government wants to create a new program to make sure self-driving cars are safe and people know how they work. But joining the program might be hard and expensive, and some important companies might not play along.