As a follow-up to a blog posting entitled, U.S. Proceeding with Mandatory Wireless ‘Vehicle to Vehicle’ Communications, additional information has been uncovered that would support the assertion that the ultimate goal of government technocrats would be to build an infrastructure to support “smart” self-driving vehicles.  For their own safety, people would not be allowed to drive cars since they are too easily distracted and error-prone.  In addition, self-driving vehicles could be programmed for maximum fuel efficiency.

According a Preliminary Statement of Policy Concerning Automated Vehicles released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

“NHTSA finds that it is helpful to think of these emerging technologies [such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications] as part of a continuum of vehicle control automation.  The continuum, discussed below, runs from vehicles with no active control systems all the way to full automation and self-driving.  While the agency is conducting research along the entire automation continuum, our emphasis initially is on determining whether those crash avoidance and mitigation technologies that are currently available (or soon to be available) are not only safe, but effective.  However, because these same technologies are the building blocks for what may one day lead to a driverless vehicle, we have also begun research focused on safety principles that may apply to even higher levels of automation, such as driver behavior in the context of highly automated vehicle safety systems.”  [emphasis added]

A good example of the ongoing thought process is encapsulated in testimony presented before a U.S. Senate Hearing conducted on May 15, 2013.  Please view the video provided below.

As a part of the testimony, it is stated that:

“Moore’s law suggests the capacity of automation and entertainment  systems will change rapidly, doubling every 18 months.  This exponential increase means that in fifteen years we are likely to be discussing whether people should be allowed to drive — because the autonomous vehicles may be so much less error prone than people.  Until cars assume complete responsibility for driving, the critical challenge is to design vehicles so that drivers clearly understand what it can and can’t do.”

Driverless cars have safety issues and cause accidents on public streets.  There are privacy concerns as well.