"Tesla and Waymo executives faced intense scrutiny from a Senate committee on Wednesday, defending the safety of their self-driving cars in the face of recent incidents. The hearing comes as lawmakers grapple with how to regulate autonomous vehicles, which are becoming increasingly common on American roads.
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into Waymo's robotaxis after a series of incidents in Austin, Texas, and a vehicle struck a child near her elementary school in Santa Monica, California. Despite these incidents, the executives insisted that their driving systems are safer than human drivers.
"We take those incidents very seriously," said Mauricio Peña, Waymo's chief safety officer. "Safety is our top priority, especially the safety of children and pedestrians. We're evaluating every one of those events and developing fixes to address them."
Peña also pointed out that Waymo vehicles are 10 times less likely to be involved in a serious injury collision than human drivers, according to the company's data.
However, critics like Bryant Walker Smith, an associate professor of law at the University of South Carolina, argue that there needs to be more oversight of autonomous vehicle companies. "There are no self-driving or driverless cars," he said. "The companies that develop and deploy AVs are the drivers. This means that an AV is only as safe as the companies responsible for it."
Tesla's Lars Moravy also acknowledged that progress in reducing vehicle crashes has stalled in recent years, with around 40,000 people dying each year in vehicle incidents. He believes that autonomous driving can help reduce this number to zero.
But there are still many unanswered questions about liability and safety standards for autonomous vehicles. Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno asked who would accept liability for a collision resulting from a software or hardware failure, and Peña replied that the company would take responsibility.
The hearing highlights the need for uniform federal regulations on autonomous vehicles. Democrats and Republicans are calling for a consistent framework to ensure safety standards, liability clarity, and consumer confidence.
As the industry continues to develop, it's clear that more transparency and accountability will be needed to ensure public trust in autonomous vehicles.
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into Waymo's robotaxis after a series of incidents in Austin, Texas, and a vehicle struck a child near her elementary school in Santa Monica, California. Despite these incidents, the executives insisted that their driving systems are safer than human drivers.
"We take those incidents very seriously," said Mauricio Peña, Waymo's chief safety officer. "Safety is our top priority, especially the safety of children and pedestrians. We're evaluating every one of those events and developing fixes to address them."
Peña also pointed out that Waymo vehicles are 10 times less likely to be involved in a serious injury collision than human drivers, according to the company's data.
However, critics like Bryant Walker Smith, an associate professor of law at the University of South Carolina, argue that there needs to be more oversight of autonomous vehicle companies. "There are no self-driving or driverless cars," he said. "The companies that develop and deploy AVs are the drivers. This means that an AV is only as safe as the companies responsible for it."
Tesla's Lars Moravy also acknowledged that progress in reducing vehicle crashes has stalled in recent years, with around 40,000 people dying each year in vehicle incidents. He believes that autonomous driving can help reduce this number to zero.
But there are still many unanswered questions about liability and safety standards for autonomous vehicles. Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno asked who would accept liability for a collision resulting from a software or hardware failure, and Peña replied that the company would take responsibility.
The hearing highlights the need for uniform federal regulations on autonomous vehicles. Democrats and Republicans are calling for a consistent framework to ensure safety standards, liability clarity, and consumer confidence.
As the industry continues to develop, it's clear that more transparency and accountability will be needed to ensure public trust in autonomous vehicles.
... just kidding! kinda. Seriously though, I think we need to slow down on this whole autonomous vehicle thing. I mean, have you seen the news lately? There's been some crazy incidents with Waymo and Tesla. And don't even get me started on liability... what if one of these cars kills someone? 
... but what if we don't?
. Companies need to take responsibility for their tech, not just claim safety is their top priority 
.
... sources are key here imo. just 'cause they say their system is 10 times less likely to have a serious injury collision doesn't mean it's always gonna be the case. what about all those other factors like road conditions, driver error (even if it's not intentional)? can we really trust these systems?
. and what about all the data they're saying is 10 times less likely... where's that from? are they using their own biased sources or actual third-party testing?
like what if they made a mistake on purpose lol 
anyway it makes sense that theres need 4 oversight tho cuz u cant just rely on companies 2 say its all good 
btw dont people think we should have liability laws 4 these thingz? 
anyway, i think the point is that even though tech companies say their self-driving cars are super safe, accidents can still happen. it's like my friend's car broke down on the highway last year and he almost got into an accident with a truck... but he was able to pull over in time 
anyway, maybe we need stricter regulations so that people don't get hurt on our roads... or at least, not because of self-driving cars 
.
Like, what even is the plan here? More oversight, please? It's not like Waymo and Tesla are gonna suddenly start prioritizing safety over profits or anything. 
we dont know enough about how these systems r designed or tested 4 the long haul. also, liability is a major issue - who's responsible wen an AV causes a wreck? 
the gov needs 2 step in & set some rules before it's too late
i dont get how a robot can make a mistake that hurts a kid or a car hits another vehicle...
like how companies would take responsibility for their mistakes... but then what happens when the software fails? do they still go to jail? 
and we saw a guy playing this insane guitar solo on his phone 
... like, whoa! Anyway, I started thinking about self-driving cars and how they're basically just fancy computers on wheels 
, right? Okay, maybe not exactly, but you know what I mean! Back in my day, we were always told to buckle up and hope for the best 
? That just sounds like fancy marketing to me 
.
. We can't just rely on their word for it.
What's really gonna happen when these cars are driving on their own? Will we be able to trust 'em?