Michigan could be the first state in the entire United States to allow driverless cars to test on public roads after the state senate unanimously passed a proposal that would legalize the act. The measure still needs the approval of the state’s House of Representatives before reaching the desk of state governor Rick Snyder, who himself has already stated his intent in signing the legislation.
The proposal could be a huge development in turning Michigan into the center of autonomous vehicle studies, testing, research & development, and ultimately, manufacturing. Granted, seven states, including Michigan, have already allowed automakers to test hands-free vehicles on the condition that a licensed operator is along for the ride in the event of emergencies. The other states with similar guidelines include California, Florida, Nevada, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah.
The new legislation allows Michigan to take things on another level as it effectively takes away the “licensed operator” condition out of the equation, essentially making it easier for parties invested in autonomous driving technology to test their driverless vehicles in the state. The legislation is especially more important for companies like Ford and Google, both of which have announced plans to completely circumvent the driver-assistance technology that’s currently being used by automakers like Tesla. Having a state that allows testing for autonomous vehicles without any drivers in it would be a huge step in accelerating the development plans for the technology.
It’s still unclear when Michigan’s House of Representatives will convene to discuss and act on the legislation, but with the approval of the state’s senate and the support of the governor Snyder, there’s a good chance that the House will act similarly on the legislation.
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