Roadblocks for Autonomy in NYC

by: Ron Zampolin

Going to high school in New York City, one becomes accustomed to seeing the mad dash of taxis each time a light changes. Dodging oncoming traffic is part of the culture in NYC, and many may hope that self driving cars can help fix the danger automobiles pose in a crammed urban area. Unfortunately, New York runs into many issues with implementing autonomous vehicles.

Aside from the common challenges of congestion and detours, New York runs into some difficult legislative issues. In 1971, a law was passed which forced drivers to always have one hand on the wheel, and the purpose of this law was to prevent against autonomous vehicles in the future. As more data on and awareness of self-driving cars and their potential success in our society come about, lawmakers have looked to remove this law. Some are still skeptical, however, and expect more progress in the industry before rolling out a fleet in the Big Apple.

As time passes, I hope to see New York evolve and implement self-driving cars sooner rather than later. It may seem like a lot of trust to put in a non-human entity, but the safety and efficiency benefits are huge, especially due to the logical outlay of NYC.