The Trump administration aims to increase the number of autonomous vehicles on American roads despite public concerns. A new framework rolled out by the Department of Transportation seeks to make it easier for companies to deploy self-driving cars.
Alphabet, parent company of Google, reported earnings and discussed its Waymo subsidiary, which now offers 250,000 paid robo-taxi rides weekly. The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association CEO, Jeff Farah, said the technology is no longer science fiction.
Twenty-five states have implemented regulations on autonomous vehicles, but a federal policy framework has been lacking. The new framework expands an exemption program for imported AVs to include American-made ones as well.
Industry experts say the shift in focus towards US-based companies is driven by tariffs and market dialogue. However, most Americans remain skeptical about fully self-driving vehicles, with only 13% expressing trust. A majority, or almost two-thirds of U.S. drivers, fear autonomous vehicles due to concerns over letting go of control.
Source: https://www.marketplace.org/story/2025/04/25/trump-wants-more-self-driving-cars-but-americans-arent-sold