Ford, GM and Toyota establish a safety standards group for self-driving cars

Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium will work to provide a safety framework around which self-driving technology can sensibly grow

General Motors, Ford and Toyota have set up a new consortium that will work with automotive engineering group SAE International to create safety standards for autonomous vehicles.

The new consortium, called the Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC), will work to provide what its founders claim will be a safety framework around which self-driving technology can sensibly grow.

The focus of the consortium will be on "advance testing, pre-competitive development and deployment of SAE Level 4 and 5 automated vehicles."

The work of AVSC will complement the efforts of other standards bodies throughout the world. It is expected to eventually help in creating regulations for self-driving cars in the United States.

While there is huge excitement in public about autonomous vehicles technology, there are concerns as well with regards to safety of passengers. Notably, a pedestrian was killed in Arizona in March last year after being hit by an autonomous vehicle of Uber.

Currently, there are no firm rules in any country regarding the regulation of autonomous vehicles. Most automobile experts believe safety regulations must be created using the same principles that are applied on regular vehicles.

Toyota, Ford, and General Motors have decades of experience in designing and creating vehicles. All these vehicle makers also share a common interest in the safe deployment of self-driving vehicles, which matches with their commitment to safety and reliability.

To start with, the new consortium will decide its priorities, with a special focus on safety guidelines, data sharing, and interaction of the vehicle with other vehicles on roads. The roadmap created by AVSC will be applicable for developers, makers and integrators of autonomous vehicle technology.

AVSC will also work with government and industry partners to speed up development of standards that will eventually lead to rule making. The group will share its progress from time to time, including at SAE International's World Congress Experience (WCX) to be held from 9-11 April in Detroit.

Yesterday, UK start-up FiveAI revealed that it was testing autonomous vehicles in Bromley and Croydon in South-East London.

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