Anchor>> The future is here... and New York
should be ready.
That's according to Rochester Assemblyman
David Gantt.
He's introduced a bill to move self driving
cars into the fast lane.
Tonight Jeff Rusack has a closer look.
Reporter>> Those long trips driving in the
car.. can be a pain.
but what if you didn't have to drive?
The concept of self driving cars is nothing
new.
California, Florida, and Nevada already allow
the testing of self steering automobiles..
but a new bill could help add New York to
that list.
The legislation would eliminate the requirement
that drivers always be touching the steering
wheel with at least one hand...And not having
to have two hands on the wheel could mean
big things for cars that drive themselves.
Assemblyman David Gantt sponsored the bill
because he says the time is right for self
driving cars.
Self parking and breaking are already common
features on new models of cars.
RIT professor of engineering Dr. Farat Sahin
says engineers are now trying to perfect cars
that stay on a specific route.
He thinks buses and trucks may be the first
vehicles to become self driving..
(Sahin>> The route is all fixed.
So, the learning of the autonomous robot could
be a lot better if the route is fixed.
Reporter>> But would you trust a robot more
than a human to get you from point a to point
b?
Levi>> It definitely is cool but for as right
now I think we need more intelligent drivers
behind the wheel than to having a car do it
itself.
Jim>> If they're safe... if they're driving
them a lot, if they're pretty safe... everybody
knows people driving cars are a little whacko.
Reporter>> The future is here for even smarter
cars.. and some New York state law makers
are looking to get the tires rolling.
Reporting in Rochester Jeff Rusack News 8.
Anchor>> David Gantt chairs the transportation
committee.
He says the bill does not have a sponsor in
the state senate.
