(The Center Square) – Wisconsin continues to look at the future of
driverless cars and trucks in the state.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Automated Vehicle External Advisory Committee is tasked with taking the first steps toward likely future automated vehicle regulations.
But no one is saying what those regulations will look like.
A recent hearing focused mainly on the data that Wisconsin, and other states, currently have from the new technology that is already in cars, trucks, buses and other vehicles.
“Vehicle telematic data can…better inform local agencies on traffic incident response needs,” Wis-DOT said in its announcement. “In a snowstorm, for example, recognizing areas where vehicles are slowing down, turning on their wipers, or changing lanes can help get snowplows or crash teams out to respond, improving safety and reducing traffic congestion.”
Wis-DOT managers say there is a lot to learn from that data. The agency also says there is a lot to like, and a lot to worry about, as more cars, trucks, and buses become more automated.
“WisDOT is committed to exploring emerging technologies that will help us develop a safe and efficient transportation system for the 21st century,” said Wis-DOT’s Lea Collins-Worachek. “Vehicle telematics is a promising tool that has the potential to revolutionize so many aspects of our work, but we must ensure we’re using it wisely.”
Wisconsin has been studying automated vehicles through the WAVE committee since 2020. The committee has met nearly a dozen times since but no one is saying when the committee may have formal or final recommendations.
