Advocates push New Mexico lawmakers for stricter regulations on self-driving vehicle testing

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Cars without drivers are making their way to New Mexico roads. But some advocates want to ensure people are safe.

“None of us are against the driverless ‘tech’; we just want to make sure it’s done right,” said Mike Sievers, a local attorney with experience in motor vehicle safety.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, there have been 130 crashes from 2021 to 2022 involving driverless cars. In 2021, New Mexico lawmakers passed a statute allowing self-driving vehicles to be tested on public roads, but with few requirements. One of those requirements is letting the NMDOT know about the testing just five days beforehand. Advocates told lawmakers they’d like to see a new bill passed with more teeth to it.

“There’s no doubt that that technology will advance someday, but as of right now, that technology isn’t at a point to where it’s safe for New Mexico highways,” they told lawmakers.

Some companies like Torc Robotics in Albuquerque are testing self-driving semi trucks on I-40 and I-25. Advocates want stronger regulation to include having a human on board to monitor the self-driving technology, requiring proof of risk minimization to the public, and the submission of safety data to the state. However, some are still skeptical about that data.

“Some of the data that these companies are going to present aren’t necessarily accurate to the fact of the real-world situation,” said one advocate. “They test these on sunny days; they don’t test them during snowstorms.”

Advocates also touched on the impact the growth of autonomous vehicles can have on the New Mexico workforce. “The job impact for this state, this is a poor state, and these are high-paying jobs,” said Tracy McCarty, a former long-haul driver whose family also owned a local trucking company here.

They also suggested lawmakers create separate legislation to support the changes in the workforce. They suggested creating a workforce recovery fund that would provide financial support and job training opportunities to workers who lose their jobs to driverless vehicles. They also suggest creating a driver displacement severance clause requiring companies to provide resources for displaced workers due to the changing technology.

“These are jobs that cover families with insurance, and just a standard of living, a lot of people in this state don’t have pensions for life. These are things the state can’t afford to lose,” said McCarty.