Monday, November 5, 2012

How DC Is Going to Ruin the Driverless Car

This is a perfect example of some of the problems with government central planning, versus free markets. Central planning results in nutty rules, accompanied by political agendas that have nothing to do with the matter at hand. Tyler Cowen reports:

One issue is that the laws are requiring licensed drivers to sit in the driving seat, eliminating one of the main advantages of the technology.  Yet there are more problems.  From Marc Scribner: 
Bizarrely, Cheh’s bill also requires that autonomous vehicles operate only on alternative fuels.
And: 
Another flaw in Cheh’s bill is that it would impose a special tax on drivers of autonomous vehicles. Instead of paying fuel taxes, “Owners of autonomous vehicles shall pay a vehicle-miles travelled (VMT) fee of 1.875 cents per mile.” Administrative details aside, a VMT tax would require drivers to install a recording device to be periodically audited by the government. There may be good reasons to replace fuel taxes with VMT fees, but greatly restricting the use of a potentially revolutionary new technology by singling it out for a new tax system would be a mistake. 
Cheh is on the D.C. City Council.

4 comments:

  1. They should make VMTs only allowable to travel by burrowing underground. That would make as much sense as the rest of the restrictions.

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  2. Just wondering: will these rules apply to all the coming spy drones too?

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  3. they need them in the driver seat in order to hand out DUI's for drivers that may be drunk...lawyers and cops gotta collect that $$$$

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  4. Government should had a concrete plan on how to solve DUI drivers. Although it won't totally out but will lessen the rate of accidents. Impose heavy punishment on the arrested drivers for them to learn the consequences of their actions. To know more about this issues contact DUI drivers.

    Joseph @ alcohol interlock device

    Sydney Drink & Drug Driving lawyers
    Beazley Singleton Lawyers
    14/370 Pitt St
    Sydney NSW 2000
    (02)9283 8622
    sydneydrinkdriving.com.au

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