A driver’s test for autonomous vehicles? A leading expert says US should have one

AP Auto Writer

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — At a time of growing concern about the safety of self-driving vehicles, a leading expert is calling on the federal government to develop a national driver’s test that such vehicles would have to pass before they could travel on public roads. Such a regulation would set minimum standards to ensure that the vehicles display basic skills and competence in traffic situations where their manufacturers want to use them, said Henry Liu, who leads the University of Michigan’s autonomous vehicle testing center. In recent years, autonomous vehicles have been involved in a number of high-profile crashes, and surveys have revealed widespread public uncertainty about their safety.