The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA), regarding the legislative package to allow for full testing of self-driving vehicles signed this week by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder:
“Michigan has once again demonstrated its commitment to innovation with the passage of new laws designed to allow self-driving vehicle testing in the state and continued development of new testing facilities within the state for automakers and transportation services providers.
“Self-driving and connected cars have the potential to reduce more than 90 percent of accidents caused by human error, provide previously unimagined independence to seniors and the visually-impaired, eliminate hours wasted in traffic and minimize congestion. To truly harness these benefits, we need more states to embrace Michigan’s model to allow for efficient and safe testing of self-driving vehicles. As the heart of the American automotive revolution, the state is well positioned to lead the way to a safer future.
“We commend Governor Snyder for leading the charge to position Michigan as, in his words, ‘the new mobility leader of the world’. The race to put self-driving cars on the road is fueled by the desire to embrace innovative transportation solutions – and, in the case of Michigan, with great benefit to the state economy thanks to revenue from expanded testing facilities. We thank the Governor, legislature and all others who contributed to this exciting development, and look forward to seeing the results.”
The latest CTA research shows four in five consumers recognize the potential benefits driverless technology can offer including reductions in accidents and related injuries, monetary savings in insurance and new mobility options for the disabled.
At CES 2017, owned and produced by the CTA, the Self-Driving Technology Marketplace will feature exhibits from Autoliv, Clarion, Delphi, IAV, NVIDIA, NXP, Valeo and more. Vehicle technology will span more than 200,000 net square feet, with 128 exhibitors in 2017.
