Mark Rosekind, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wants you to know the government approves of self-driving cars.
The government is backing the technology needed for the emerging technology, not hoping to block it from developing, according to recent statements made by Rosekind.
“NHTSA is not interested in erecting roadblocks to safety innovations. We want to encourage that,” according to Rosekind, who spoke recently at the Automated Vehicle Symposium.
“We will have to help people who can’t tell LIDAR [a remote sensing technology] from a coffee maker,” Rosekind added. “Whether for profit or for malicious intent we know these systems will become targets for bad actors. We must reassure vehicle owners that their data is secure, their vehicles are secure.”
But Rosekind added that those developing the technology must ensure safety and the ability to be safe from cyber attacks. For more on cyberysecurity threats while driving, check out this recent Fortune piece.
The statements come days after Google’s self-driving car got into a another crash.