What We’re Reading
Why Biden’s $7.5B electric vehicle charger push is probably safe from Trump (Politico, November 20, 2024)
President-elect Donald Trump has been vocal about redirecting unspent funds from President Joe Biden’s climate programs in order to fund road and bridge projects after ridiculing the climate initiative, stating that Biden has “built eight chargers for $9 billion.” The bipartisan climate initiative has allocated $7.5 billion to fund electric vehicle chargers across the country, although progress has been slower than expected, with fewer than a dozen new chargers since the law was signed three years ago. However, the funds from the climate initiative are expected to be formally committed to projects by the time Trump is expected to take office on January 20. Congress created “guardrails” on the funds that will make it difficult for Trump or other lawmakers to roll them back.
Trump Is Reportedly Planning to Relax Rules for Self-Driving Cars (Car and Driver, November 18, 2024)
The Trump administration may ease federal regulations on self-driving cars, according to Bloomberg, which cites unnamed sources familiar with the plan. The aim is to create a federal framework for regulating autonomous vehicles, with bipartisan legislation already under discussion to raise the cap on how many self-driving cars can be deployed. Currently, NHTSA permits up to 2,500 autonomous vehicles per manufacturer annually, with past attempts to raise it to 100,000 failing. No official policy details have been confirmed, and a nominee for the U.S. Department of Transportation is still pending. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has a vested interest, might benefit if these regulations are loosened. The potential changes could impact both federal and state regulations, allowing for broader deployment of self-driving technology.
GM self-driving unit Cruise admits to submitting false reports, will pay $500,000 fine (Reuters, November 14, 2024)
General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise, recently faced legal issues for submitting a false report about an October 2023 accident involving one of its robotaxis that hit a pedestrian. The Justice Department announced Cruise will pay a $500,000 fine as part of a three-year agreement, requiring cooperation with investigations and an annual compliance report. Following the incident, key executives resigned, and the company cut its workforce. Cruise is also under investigation by the NHTSA and SEC, while it plans to resume limited autonomous testing in certain cities.
AV confidence gains traction, but still room for improvement: JD Power (Automotive Dive, November 14, 2024)
Consumer confidence in AV technology is gradually improving, though still low, per J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Mobility Confidence Index Study released last month. While major automakers like General Motors and Ford test self-driving vehicles, consumer readiness increased slightly from 37 to 39 on a 100-point scale. However, significant concerns remain, with 83% wanting more safety data and 86% desiring the option to take control. Parents of teen drivers express greater comfort allowing their children to drive rather than use self-driving taxis. Data privacy also poses a significant worry, with 64% concerned about data security and 57% believing AV owners will need liability insurance. Transparency in data practices is essential for building trust in AV technology, as highlighted by experts from J.D. Power and MIT’s AVT Consortium.