In BriefWashington governor Jay Inslee signed an executive orderWednesday that would allow self-driving car pilot test programs tooperate even without a human driver behind the wheel. Such an ordercould fast-track the development of AV technology. Eliminating the Problem

How difficult is it to test autonomous vehicles (AVs) on public roads? Uber can probablytell you all about it. Much of thedifficulty in obtaining the permits necessary forsuch tests comes from fear. Because self-driving technology is new, because the systems have been involved in incidentsin the past, and so on, people arent quite ready to trust the tech.

The governor of Washington state, however, has a different perspective. Governor Jay Inslee signed an order on Wednesday that would allow for autonomous vehicle tests without a human driver behind the wheel. According to the governors official blog, the order could allow these tests to begin within the next two months. Self-driving system developers can already apply for permits for pilot program tests through the states Department of Licensing.

Clearly, for Inslee, human drivers are far more dangerous than self-driving technology. One thing I know about radar, it doesnt drive drunk, it doesnt drive distracted, he said, according toThe Seattle Times.We humans are really good at a lot of things, driving cars isnt necessarily one of them compared to the automated processes that are digital and foolproof.

Executive Order 17-02, a copy which was obtained by The Seattle Times, quantifies the governors assertions: [R]oughly 94 percent of automobile accidents are caused by human error, and autonomous vehicle technology may reduce injuries and save countless lives.

Many people believe autonomous driving technology is still in the veryearly stages of development, and no company has yet achieved true Level 5 autonomy. However, developments have clearly shown that these driverless vehicles are already capable of so much, including actually saving the lives of passengers.

Washington doesnt want to be left behind in adopting such a game-changing technology. Washington state is already a leader in autonomous vehicle technology. We are an early-adopter that welcomes innovation and the safe testing and operation of AVs, Inslee said in the blog post.

Indeed, self-driving cars could potentially save the lives of as many as 300,000 to 400,000 peopleannually by eliminating human error, which is the cause of an estimated 94 percent of crashes. And thats just one benefit of the tech. As Inslee added, AVs could help save countless lives, reclaim time spent in traffic, improve mobility, and be an important tool in our efforts to combat climate change. As tests move forward in Washington, the rest of the world will soon find out just how valuable this technology can be.

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