U.S. regulator seeks public comment on GM, Nuro driverless vehicle petitions

CHICAGO, March 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. automaker General Motors (GM)'s petition to deploy a limited number of vehicles without steering wheels or Human controls on public roads has entered public comment phase, said the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Friday.

The agency is also seeking public review and comment on a separate petition by a driverless delivery startup Nuro Inc. to put a certain number of low-speed, highly automated delivery vehicles without Human occupants on public roads.

"The Department is actively seeking public comment on proposed exemptions to federal standards and how the public can be protected as new transportation technologies emerge," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao in a statement.

According to the NHTSA, the petitions will be open to comment for 60 days.

"The Department will consider all comments in order to keep public safety a priority while also fostering innovation," NHTSA Deputy Administrator Heidi R. King said in the statement.

GM submitted its petition in January 2018. Insiders noted that the automaker's 14-month wait for a response from the government regulator shows that gaining the necessary federal approval is no small step, nor is it guaranteed.