Here's news that won't get unanimous support from owners of vehicles that include driver-assistance systems enabling the cars to carry out certain maneuvers by themselves.
The Utah Senate, following the local House of Representatives, has passed a law penalizing drivers who are arrested for driving under the influence even with the systems activated.
The law is also likely to dissuade some consumers from acquiring one of these systems, which car manufacturers generally offer by subscription.
But for regulators it's good news since it could prompt connected-car owners to think twice before they activate the driver-assistance option and to focus on driving.
Under the bill, a driver who activates the self-driving feature while under the influence violates the law. They can be cited for DUI because someone still has to be in charge of the vehicle while the systems are activated.
The bill now goes back to the state House and then to the desk of Gov. Spencer Cox for his signature or veto.
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Steve Eliason and state Sen. Curtis Bramble, is designed to clarify existing law following an individual's line of defense in a DUI case.
The lawmakers took care to clearly explain what they meant by an automatic driving system. Essentially, any feature, no matter how advanced, is considered an automated driving function.
All Automatic Driving Systems Are Included
"Automated driving system or 'ADS' means the hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, regardless of whether the ADS is limited to a specific operational design domain," the bill says.
This bill could serve as a basis for regulators and courts across the country that are trying to determine liability for accidents or other issues involving automated driving systems.
This bill comes at a bad time for self-driving cars, the development of which is now many years behind schedule despite technological advances. '
Regulators are investigating incidents related to full-self-driving, Tesla's (TSLA) driver-assistance system, which enables its vehicles to automatically change lanes, make turns, and park.
Tesla in early February announced a recall of nearly 54,000 cars to deactivate an FSD feature that enables its cars to pass through intersections without having to come to a complete stop if no other car is engaged or if no pedestrians are present.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are investigating different aspects of Tesla’s full-self-driving development and technology.
Regulators recently called Tesla's use of the term "full-self-driving” for its driver-assist systems “misleading.”
FSD has sophisticated features like smart summon, which enables drivers to call their cars from parking spots to come pick them up, using their smartphones and the Tesla app like a remote control. Its price has climbed 50% in just over five years. It costs an additional $12,000, or a $199-a-month subscription.
But full-self-driving does not make Tesla vehicles fully autonomous.
Other Driver-Assistance Systems
FSD will become Tesla's first engine of growth, Musk told analysts on Jan. 26.
"Full-self-driving. So, over time, we think full-self-driving will become the most important source of profitability for Tesla. It's -- actually, if you run the numbers on robotaxis, it's kind of nutty -- it's nutty good from a financial standpoint," Musk said.
The billionaire also claimed that Tesla cars would be able to drive themselves by the end of the year.
"I would be shocked if we do not achieve full-self-driving safer than a human this year. I would be shocked," Musk said.
General Motors (GM) said in January that its Cadillac luxury brand would outfit its Celestiq sedan with the company's Ultra Cruise autonomous driving assistant, making the vehicle among the first to have the feature.
GM describes Ultra Cruise as a "door-to-door" hands-free driving system that will enable users to keep their hands off the wheel in 95% of all traffic situations. It will function on most roads, including city streets, subdivision streets and paved rural roads in addition to highways, without the need for pre-mapping.
As for Ford (F), its long-awaited F-150 Lightning pickup, its first 100% electric truck, could be equipped with an option that will enable the vehicle to park itself, for example.
This feature, if confirmed, would give Ford a significant advantage in the electric truck war, pitting it against GM's Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Hummer EV, as well as Tesla's futuristic Cybertruck.
