Federal agency gives green light to autonomous driving technology DETROIT: For the first time, the US government’s highway safety agency has approved a company’s request to deploy a self-driving vehicle that doesn’t need to meet the same federal safety standards for cars and trucks driven by humans. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration granted temporary approval for Silicon Valley robotics company Nuro to run low-speed autonomous delivery vehicles that were designed without any accommodations for human drivers. That means no side and rear-view mirrors, windshield wipers, steering wheels or brake pedals. The vehicles previously were subject to federal standards for low-speed vehicles that travel under 25 miles per hour. Those didn’t need to have steering wheels, brake pedals or human backup drivers, but were required to have windshield wipers, backup camera displays and mirrors. Nuro’s battery-powered vehicles can be monitored and controlled remotely by a human operator, if needed. The approval is the first sign that NHTSA is moving from voluntary standards governing autonomous vehicles to actual regulation, said Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor. It’s a signal that the agency, which has said that it doesn’t want to stand in the way of the new technology, is likely to approve more vehicles, he said. “This is the first time that the agency said ‘yes we approve this vehicle that does not meet traditional driver-oriented standards,’” he said. “That’s a big step because it makes it much more concrete.” Under the temporary approval, Nuro will have to make real-time safety reports to the agency. Nuro also will have to hold regular meetings with the agency and liaise with the community in areas where the vehicles will travel. “NHTSA is dedicated to facilitating the safe testing and deployment of advanced vehicle technologies, including innovative vehicle designs, which hold great promise for future safety improvements. As always, we will not hesitate to use defect authority to protect public safety as necessary,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator James Owens. The agency will use enforcement powers if it finds evidence of an unreasonable risk to safety, the statement said. In December, Nuro announced plans to use its low-speed delivery vehicles in partnership with Walmart to deliver groceries in Houston. The service was to start early this year and use the vehicles as well as automated Toyota Prius hybrid cars. Nuro also was testing deliveries in Arizona and Houston. Nuro, of Mountain View, California, announced new version of its autonmated delivery vehicle called the “R2” on Thursday. It’s the second generation of a vehicle that’s custom built to deliver goods, but not people. The company said it plans to deploy fewer than 100 vehicles this year, but has permission from NHTSA to run as many as 2,500. The delivery vehicles, equipped with laser, camera and radar sensors, will travel with regular traffic on public roads. The exemption from motor vehicle standards from NHTSA also allows Nuro to run its rear cameras all the time. Current standards require backup camera displays to turn off when vehicles are moving forward so the displays don’t distract human drivers.