British Columbia has banned all cars equipped with level 3 and higher self-driving technology. The provincial government said in a statement the ban would protect vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists. The province believes self-driving technology needs more testing before it is safe for public use.
Still in experimentation
Self-driving technology has recently come under heavy criticism, with numerous accidents raising safety concerns. In the United States, GM-backed Cruise lost its license to operate autonomous vehicles due to several serious incidents, including a collision with an emergency response vehicle. Many experts and industry players believe we need more time to prepare for self-driving technology. However, British Columbia goes further by banning not only Level 3 driving, but also any vehicle equipped with this technology on its roads. It should be noted that currently no cars available in Canada are capable of Level 3 driving.
Heavy penalties await violators
By law, it is now an offense to drive a vehicle with Level 3, 4 or 5 autonomous features unless regulations permit it. Those who break the rules will face a minimum penalty of $368 and 3 penalty points, up to a maximum fine of $2,000 and six months in prison. Level 1 and Level 2 autonomous driving, including safety features such as lane change assist, is still allowed on British Columbia roads.
Of course, this ban is not intended to be permanent, and the provincial government has said more testing is needed before self-driving technology can be used on public roads. “Highly automated vehicles remain a new, emerging transportation technology. Further testing and policy development is needed before Level 3 or higher automated vehicles are considered safe and can begin to be permitted for public use on British Columbia roads,” reads the official release.
US officials also concerned about safety standards for autonomous vehicles
Although many may view this law as an obstacle to development, the Canadian province wants to protect all road users. As we’ve seen time and time again, drivers are becoming far too comfortable with semi-autonomous driving aids. Recently, the NTSB found that a fatal crash in February occurred while a hands-free driving assist was in use. This shows that the technology is not ready for widespread use and that humans are not using these systems as intended.
Earlier this year, the city of San Francisco sued California regulators for allowing Waymo to operate robotaxis in the city. San Francisco officials said at the time that they wanted the California Public Utilities Commission to suspend self-driving testing until safety regulations could be reevaluated.
The text British Columbia bans self-driving cars comes from L’annuel de l’automobile – Automotive news
