Audi Awarded Self-Driving Vehicle Testing License In New York, 1st Company To Be Approved
Audi of America’s self-driving vehicle testing application has been approved by the relevant authorities in New York State. That means that Audi will actually be the first company to test its self-driving vehicle tech in New York.
New York State first began accepting applications for the testing of self-driving vehicle tech just a month ago, in May.
Audi will reportedly begin testing in and around Albany, New York, sometime in mid-June or so, according to a press release the company just put out. The self-driving tech being tested will be Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) Level 3 automation, apparently, so it will presumably be pretty lowkey.
The press release provides more: “In New York, two trained engineers will be in the vehicle to monitor the system and ensure safety, one in the front seat and one in the back. Audi’s demonstration vehicle has already safely logged thousands of miles on limited access highways across the US. … New legislation included in New York’s FY 2018 budget allows for testing autonomous technology through a year-long pilot program. Audi’s vehicle routing information for the Albany demonstration has been pre-approved by the New York State Police and its application was approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. State Police review the route to be taken, and are required to supervise the demonstration.”
So the state’s monitoring of self-driving vehicle testing is clearly a bit more involved than most other states’ monitoring is — at least as far as what’s publicly revealed.
The president of Audi of America, Scott Keogh, commented on the news: “We have been leading the way in the development of piloted driving technology for more than a decade now, and testing in real-world environments is a key step in our pursuit of safer roads. We applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership and stand ready to assist in defining how this future will unfold in the Empire State now and for years to come.”
As far as why the state approved self-driving vehicle testing? Governor Cuomo was recently quoted as saying: “New York State is a nationwide leader in innovative highway safety programs and the potential for autonomous vehicles to save lives on our roadways is immeasurable.”
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