Task force forms to speed development of driverless cars

Task force forms to speed development of driverless cars

A group focused on reducing U.S. oil use has formed a task force to promote the development of autonomous vehicles. The Autonomous Vehicle Task Force was announced at an event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, by Larry Burns, a former General Motors engineer and current Google advisor and member of the task force.

–Autonomy will accelerate the deployment and use of electric vehicles and stimulate the mobile sharing economy, breaking oilês monopoly over the transportation sector and shielding the country from an increasingly volatile and unpredictable global oil market,” said Robbie Diamond, president and CEO of Securing Americaês Future Energy (SAFE).

In the event at the Press Club, Burns said that autonomous vehicles have the potential to reduce car crashes by 90 percent. He also said they could save Americans more than $1 per mile traveled. The reason: With the widespread use of autonomous vehicles, consumers would not have to own a car that now mostly sits idle. A shared car, used only when an individual needs it, would be much more efficient and create less waste. Burns did not address the potential effect on car sales.

The main opposition to widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles, Diamond said, would come from vested interests including oil companies, auto manufacturers and lawmakers.