A 45 year old law is keeping self-driving cars out of New York

The expansion of self-driving cars is crucial to the future success of these vehicles. Testing the cars is different locations provides valuable information for the systems. Driving around the perfect conditions of California will only get them so far. Recently, self-driving cars have begun testing in places like Detroit. Another popular location would be New York, but an old law is preventing that from happening.

A New York law from 1971 states that drivers must have at least one hand on the wheel of a vehicle in motion. Obviously, this presents a major problem for self-driving cars. The whole idea is that you don’t have to touch the wheel. Legislators are pushing to change the law for the future of self-driving cars in the state, but also cars that are already on the streets. More and more vehicles are equipped with parking assist features.

New York is the only state in the US that has such a law. Not everyone wants to get rid of it. There are still a lot of people who are afraid of self-driving cars, especially in congested traffic areas like New York. The only way the technology can prove itself is to be on the streets. How do you feel about this 45-year-old law? Should it be changed?

[via NY Daily News]