Elijah Nouvelage | Reuters
Two self-driving Chevy Bolt EV cars are seen during a media event by Cruise, GM’s autonomous car unit, in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 28, 2017.
Would you get in a self-driving car that has no steering wheel and no pedals? General Motors thinks so, and wants to test its newest autonomous-driving vehicle on public roads and highways starting in 2019.
“When you see this image for the first time it’s quite striking,” said Dan Ammann, president of GM.
“That’s why we believe this is a notable moment on the journey to full AV (autonomous vehicle) deployment.”
The automaker has petitioned the federal government for approval to adjust 16 motor vehicle standards so it can test cars that have no steering wheel, pedals and other driver controls.
If regulators in Washington approve, GM plans to test up to 2,500 of these modified Chevy Bolts on public roads in at least seven states.
The move comes as Waymo, formerly known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, prepares to launch a ride-hailing program outside of Phoenix using driverless Chrysler Pacifica Minivans.
Those vehicles have been modified with sensors, cameras and radar equipment so the minivans can operate without a driver.
Unlike, General Motors, Waymo has not petitioned the federal government to allow it to test vehicles without steering wheels and pedals.
Last year, Ford said it plans to develop self-driving vehicles without steering wheels, though those vehicles are not expected to be ready until 2021.
