Government will consider Google computer to be car's driver

DETROIT - Computers that control cars of the future can be considered drivers just like humans, the federal government's highway safety agency has found.

The redefinition of "driver" by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an important break for Google, taking it a step closer to its goal of self-driving cars without steering wheels, pedals or human drivers.

But the company still has a long journey ahead before its cars get on the road in great numbers. While the safety agency agreed with Google's "driver" reinterpretation in a recent letter, it didn't allow other concessions and said numerous federal rules would have to be changed to permit the cars.

"NHTSA will interpret 'driver' in the context of Google's described motor vehicle design as referring to the SDS [self-driving system] and not to any of the vehicle occupants," Paul Hemmersbaugh, NHTSA's chief counsel, wrote in the letter.

But the agency rejected many of Google's claims that its cars met federal auto safety standards, including a requirement for foot and hand brakes. Google said the requirement wasn't necessary because the electronic driver can stop the cars. Yet the government said regulations are clear and would have to be changed to allow that.

"In a number of instances, it may be possible for Google to show that certain [federal] standards are unnecessary for a particular vehicle design," Hemmersbaugh wrote. "To date, however, Google has not made such a showing."

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has suggested the cars could be ready for the public in a few years. After several years of caution, last month federal regulators said they wanted to help speed the technology's widespread adoption if it proves to be safe.

In letters over the last three months, Google asked NHTSA to interpret safety standards in ways that would ease the path for self-driving car prototypes to get into public hands.