Japan will revise its safety standards so that self-driving cars without steering wheels, pedals or rearview mirrors can be granted type approval under a single set of rules, the transport ministry has decided. A ministry panel of experts and industry groups approved the plan on the 4th. The revision is expected as early as December.
The change covers safety standards for Level 4 and 5 autonomous vehicles, which do not need a driver at the wheel. It applies to a wide range of vehicles, including taxis, buses and trucks.
Under the new standards, vehicles would be assumed to have no steering wheel, pedals, rearview mirrors or other equipment built around human driving. A uniform set of criteria would allow them to be certified. Vehicles meant to carry passengers, such as taxis and buses, would still be required to pass crash tests using dummies.