GM and Lyft want to be able to remove driver controls on autonomous cars

General Motors and Alphabet & # 39; s Waymo are among the companies that encourage federal safety authorities to quickly and safely update laws to better enable the testing and certification of fully autonomous vehicles on US public roads , even without control.

The companies, considered by many to be the leaders in autonomous vehicles, were among the approximately 90 organizations and individuals who submitted their comments on a draft regulation to amend the rules for driverless vehicles at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. .

Lyft, Volvo, Intel and Mercedes-Benz, the city of New York and non-profit consumer advocacy organizations such as the Center for Auto Safety have all weighed in the new safety standards for autonomous vehicles before the closing of the public comment period, Wednesday.

Tesla was particularly absent from the comments. He was very public about their aspirations for testing and deploying autonomous vehicles. Tesla did not immediately reply for a comment.

Comments will be taken into account when re-drafting rules by federal regulators, NHTSA said in a statement sent via email.

While many believe that autonomous vehicles can save lives, some are skeptical about allowing traffic on public roads, particularly after a fatal accident involving an Uber autonomous vehicle in March 2018 in Arizona.

Regulators are considering allowing vehicles without hand controls, including steering wheels and pedals, to travel on US roads. Existing laws require such equipment and companies must apply for exemptions to launch such vehicles.

GM, which last year, with its Cruise autonomous vehicle subsidiary, has requested such exemptions, and Lyft favors the creation of separate requirements that meet the "intent" of safety standards and not those physical equipment.

GM / Cruise supports NHTSA by establishing new definitions that only apply to ADS-DVs [autonomous vehicles] without manual control, "said GM. This would allow NHTSA to clearly define, where applicable, the requirements applicable to ADS-DV in relation to those applying to traditional vehicles. "

In his comments, Lyft agreed that a "separate classification of vehicles" for autonomous vehicles with their own regulations "would remove regulatory barriers and change [federal motor vehicle safety standards] which refers to a human driver and / or assumes a manual control element in the test procedure. "

The Automotive Manufacturers Alliance, which includes 12 automakers accounting for approximately 70% of all US sales of cars and light trucks, encouraged NHTSA to adopt a "parallel and incremental approach" focused on vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems. autonomous vehicles with and without manual controls.

While many companies have supported the changes, many security advocates and consumer watch groups have warned NHTSA against rapid regulatory changes.

Consumer Reports, while recognizing the potential long-term safety benefits of autonomous vehicles, encouraged NHTSA to focus its resources on near-term benefits.

"In short: For NHTSA to save lives and prevent injuries, the agency should focus on more important topics than" removing regulatory barriers ", especially given the pace of innovation in the sector. in many areas, "said Consumer Reports.

The Center for Auto Safety, a Washington-based consumer advocacy organization, said it remained "skeptical" about companies testing vehicles without manual controls, citing "there is no evidence demonstrable "that vehicles can operate safely (and off American roads). . "

-CNBC & # 39; s contributed to this report.