Can Kittens Save Alphabet?

In "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Kylo Ren steps into the Darth Vader role channeling the "dark side" of the Force for galactic domination as leader of the First Order.  He comically smashes consoles with his light saber during petulant rages. 

One can imagine the Alphabet team raging in a similar fashion following California's release of draft regulations for self-driving cars.  But it may be time for a softer, more sophisticated approach, such as delivering kittens to senior citizens in driverless cars.

The California draft - which sets the stage for workshops to discuss the regulations - requires steering wheels, brake and accelerator pedals and licensed and trained drivers, all of which Alphabet would prefer to eliminate.  The core point of conflict is the driver hand-off from automated to manual driving which Alphabet and auto makers (and California regulators) agree is a weak spot.

Auto makers would prefer that automated driving be something akin to advanced cruise control.  Google sees the driver as the source of most (all?) driving failures - an opinion shared by many in the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and U.S. Department of Transportation communities.

The two constituencies collide over the issue of driver control and hand-off of that control.  Alphabet prefers to eliminate the driver and the hand-off altogether - or to at least have the removal of this modality as a goal.  Auto makers prefer to control the circumstances when self-driving will be available.

For auto makers, the greatest concerns are liability and safety.  The self-driving strategies of car makers generally call for systems that monitor and alert the driver to retake control or to return attention to the roadway.  With the draft California rules, Alphabet has been thwarted in its ability to remove the driver from the driving process.

The reaction from Google seems to politely channel Kylo Ren-like outrage.

Google spokewoman, Courtney Hohne, was quoted from an emailed response in the New York Times: “Safety is our highest priority and primary motivator as we do this.  We’re gravely disappointed that California is already writing a ceiling on the potential for fully self-driving cars to help all of us who live here.”

https://tinyurl.com/pu54zjx - California DMV Stops Short of Fully Embracing Driverless Cars - NYTimes

California's draft rules give the advantage back to auto makers and their more traditional approach to automated driving.  The draft also reflects the interest of the California Department of Motor Vehicles to define the equipment used in motor vehicles on California highways and to limit and license the drivers of such vehicles.

In essence, the CaDMV overtly prefers a driving environment characterized by vehicles owned and driven by particular human beings.  Google's Alphabet division envisions and is fostering a world in which vehicle ownership is irrelevant and human driving unnecessary.

The debate over California's draft rules has now politicized self-driving cars and has likely set the stage for states such as Florida and Nevada to consider more liberal approaches to self-driving technology.  While the CaDMV may have been put out by Alphabet's demands for a pure self-driving experience, other states may provide incentives for Google to shift the Alphabet team's primary efforts to more friendly regulatory regimes.

States with large retiree populations come to mind as particularly attractive targets for Google lobbyists. But people in need of self-driving cars for mobility won't be the only market. 

Companies like Cruise are targeting driving enthusiasts for an aftermarket self-driving experience.  And tinkerers like George Hotz appear to be getting into the game as well:

https://tinyurl.com/zlq7zkn - "Is self-driving technology becoming commoditized?" - Automotive News.

The CaDMV draft mandates that autonomous vehicles be operated by a licensed and trained driver who can take over if necessary. That driver will also be responsible for traffic violations. 

The manufacturers of self-driving cars will have to subject their vehicles to a third-party safety test and will apply for three-year permits allowing them to lease but not sell self-driving cars to the public.  Manufacturers will also have to report crashes, provide security measures to prevent hacking,  and disclose what kind of data the companies are collecting about drivers.

The CaDMV draft states: “The department will address the unique safety, performance and equipment requirements associated with fully autonomous vehicles without the presence of a driver in subsequent regulatory packages.”

By punting, for now, on the true driverless self-driving car experience, California is favoring the traditional driver-behind-the-wheel approach of traditional car makers.  Alphabet must now decide whether it can educate and convince the CaDMV of its folly or whether it is best to shop for a more sympathetic venue.

With self-driving technology becoming both a global and a local phenomenon, maybe it's time for Alphabet to change its tune.  The company has hired former USDOT exec Ron Medford and former Hyundai CEO John Krafcik - trying to understand both the regulatory and auto industry side of the argument.

But the Alphabet team continues to exhibit Kylo Ren/Darth Vader-like frustration at the inability of regulators to accept its view of the world.  But vexation is not an effective marketing strategy.

Maybe Google and its Alphabet division need to tear a page out of Uber's playbook.  Uber has faced its own share of conflict in bringing ad hoc transportation alternatives to the masses.  Where Uber has taken to delivering cats on National Cat Day each year, maybe Alphabet can use its self-driving cars to deliver kittens to senior citizens. 

It's definitely time to channel the lighter side of the Force.