Apple have sent a letter to NHTSA, asking that new entrants to the vehicle arena be treated the same as established automakers when it comes to the rights and privileges involved with testing autonomous vehicles on public roads.
In the letter, Apple argues that new entrants to the vehicle market should be allowed to test AVs on public roads without having to file for exemptions to prevailing FMVSS : “The exemption process was intended for, and remains focused on, the sale of new motor vehicles to the public—not on the safe and controlled testing of development vehicles on public roads. However, the Policy suggests that companies must seek an exemption for public road testing of internal development vehicles not fully compliant with FMVSS. NHTSA [could] amend the Policy to state that exemptions are not required for the controlled testing of internal development vehicles on public roads, provided they will never be used by the general public”.
The letter is the strongest indication to date that the iPhone-and-Mac giant are aggressively pursuing an entrée into the vehicle industry of the future.
