Should Legislation Dictate Exact Technology Choices? [Connected and Automated Vehicles]

It has been said that the progression toward fully autonomous cars was slowed down when the complexity required was fully realized. However, one should not underestimate the driving forces behind different business models and the impact of legislation. For the investments toward fully autonomous cars to pay off, there needs to be a market drive, implying that customers need to be asking for the service. This can happen either due to new legislation (as was the case with seat belts and airbags) or due to establishing a benefit that the new technology has. Paying for continued safety or for not being injured is a business model few can pull off. Further, autonomous vehicles aim at providing safety not only for their owners but also for vulnerable road users, which, e.g., may prevent the cars from speeding outside a school. When considering the comments the U.S. government received regarding the notice of proposed rulemaking to mandate vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology on all light-duty vehicles, in 2017, I would argue that many customers are behaving like teenagers, being annoyed with their parents, the vehicle manufacturers, who want to enable safety by enforcing traffic regulations.