汽车自动驾驶，司机打盹合法吗？

    加州的政府官员们正在考虑自动驾驶汽车所有者是否需要接受特殊培训。如果是这样的话，应该由谁来负责提供这种培训？而且，乘客可能也需要坐在方向盘后面，在汽车出现状况时可以随时准备好接管汽车。当然，这样的规则排除了盲人以及孩子等太年轻而无法取得驾照的其他人群。索里亚诺说：“这主要是为了确保公众安全。”

    目前还不清楚相关监管机构是否会向自动驾驶汽车发放特别车牌。这种不确定性说明官员们在这个过程中正在考虑大量的细节问题。索里亚诺解释说，通过车牌或其他标记来识别自动驾驶汽车可能会造成危险。因为道路上其他汽车的驾驶者可能会故意逼近自动驾驶汽车，看看它是否会突然自动转向。索里亚诺说：“自动驾驶汽车有利有弊。”

    为了帮助制定这些规则，加州机动车管理局已经开始和包括执法、保险部门及公路建设和养护部门在内的各个政府机构积极合作。此外，它还在征询汽车制造商、学者以及隐私保护组织的意见。

    内华达州是在2011年第一个批准测试自动驾驶汽车的州，而且也是第一个制定一套相关规则的州。该州官员在对自动驾驶汽车技术进行突击学习之后，花费了8个月的时间才发布了这些规则。内华达州机动车管理局参与这些规则制定工作的分析师希瑟•霍金斯-范彻说：“我们以前从来没有听说过自动驾驶汽车。我们必须成为这方面的专家。”

    在内华达州，汽车制造公司必须填写一份冗长的申请，说明各自自动驾驶汽车的各种性能及其行驶纪录。他们还必须选择他们希望各自自动驾驶汽车使用的地理类型：比如州际高速公路或者城市环境，同时还要证明他们拥有总额为300万美元的契约来承担赔偿责任。在机械性能要求方面，自动驾驶汽车必须配有一个系统，来提醒乘客汽车出现的任何技术问题，同时让让他们可以接管汽车。此外，自动驾驶汽车必须保留发生任何撞车事故前30秒内所收集的任何传感数据。

    获颁许可证的公司——到目前为止只有谷歌、奥迪和大陆汽车公司——需要有两名乘客在车内才能行驶自动驾驶汽车。这些乘客需要持有驾照，而且都接受过有关自动驾驶汽车的培训。此外，根据这些规则的规定，两名乘客都必须“积极监测自动驾驶汽车运行方面出现的任何异常状况。”显然，自动驾驶汽车行驶时在座位上打瞌睡属于禁止的行为。（财富中文网）

    翻译：iDo98

    fficials are looking at whether autonomous car owners need specific training. If so, who will provide it? A passenger may also be required to sit behind the wheel and be ready to take over if something goes wrong. Such a rule would, of course, preclude the blind along with others like children who are too young to have a driver's license. "The main theme is ensuring public safety," Soriano said.

    Whether autonomous cars will be issued specific license plates is unclear. The uncertainty speaks to the details officials are considering as part of the process. Soriano explained that identifying an autonomous car with a license plate or other marking may be hazardous. Fellow drivers on the road may decide to inch too close to see if it automatically swerves. "There's pros and cons," Soriano said.

    For help with the rules, California's DMV has teamed with an alphabet soup of government agencies including law enforcement, the insurance department, and highway construction and maintenance department. It's also seeking the input of manufacturers, academics, and privacy groups.

    Nevada was the first state to approve the testing of autonomous vehicles in 2011 and the first come up with a set of rules. Officials took eight months to issue them after a crash course in autonomous vehicle technology. "We'd never heard of autonomous vehicles before," said Heather Hawkins-Fancher, an analyst with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles who worked on the rules. "We had to become experts."

    In Nevada, manufacturers must fill out a lengthy application explaining their cars' capabilities and their track record. They must also chose the type of geography they wish to use -- interstate highways or urban environment, for example -- and show that they have a bond of $3 million to cover liability. In terms of mechanical requirements, the cars must have a system to alert passengers about any technology problems and allow them to take control. Additionally, the car must retain any sensor data collected for 30 seconds prior to any collision.

    Those awarded a permit -- Google, Audi, and Continental, so far -- are required to operate their cars with two passengers inside. Driver's licenses and prior training with autonomous vehicles are required. Both passengers must also "actively monitor for any aberration in the functioning of the autonomous vehicle," according to the rules. Dozing off while being taxied around is clearly forbidden.