Autonomous Hyundai Ioniq 5 Passes Driver’s License Test In Las Vegas
To convince Americans that autonomous vehicles are safe, Hyundai is letting a certified DMV driving examiner judge it Hyundai's self-driving Ioniq 5 has passed a driver's license test in Las Vegas, with a real DMV-certified driving examiner, Kandice Jones, observing the car for various performance measures. Despite these high standards, Jones gave the car a passing grade. This move may help alleviate fears about autonomous vehicles, as autonomous vehicles are not offered individual licenses. The technology could potentially be beneficial for people with impaired vision or other conditions that prevent them from driving themselves, and potentially save fleet companies a significant sum if they don't have to pay drivers.
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According to the AAA, 66 percent of Americans are afraid of autonomous vehicles, 25 percent are unsure about the technology, and just 9 percent say they trust robotaxis. In an attempt to bump that last number up, Hyundai has subjected its self-driving Ioniq 5 to a driving test in Las Vegas.
The car was put through a close approximation of a driving test, the one that hopeful humans have to pass to get their driver’s licenses. That means a real Nevada DMV examiner in the passenger seat of the car, checking for things like the length of a stop and how well it changes lanes.
Read: Study Shows Two-Thirds Of U.S. Drivers Are Scared Of Self-Driving Cars
Although this was a publicity stunt, Hyundai chose a road tester with pretty high standards. In a video, the automaker reports that Kandice Jones, a DMV-certified driving examiner with 25 years of experience, has a pass rate of just 16 percent.
“I’ve failed thousands and thousands of students in the interest of public safety,” said Jones. “It’s going to be the same criteria – just like testing a human. We’ll be monitoring the speed, lane changes. I’m going to grade maneuvers, making a complete stop, left turns, maintaining the lane, and of course reaction time.”
Despite her high standards, the Ioniq 5 Robotaxi impressed Jones and, in the end, she awarded the car a passing grade. That doesn’t mean anything official, since autonomous vehicles aren’t offered individual licenses, but it may help assuage some fears.
Autonomous technology’s reputation has taken a hit in recent years. Although several companies are still working to make it a reality, wide reports of issues with Level 2 driver assistance technology like Tesla’s Autopilot, and the implosion of GM’s autonomous subsidiary, Cruise, have led to many negative headlines.
However, the technology could still be helpful for people with issues like impaired vision, or other conditions that prevent them from driving themselves. It could also save fleet companies a bunch of money if they don’t have to pay drivers.
Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 Robotaxi has been developed in collaboration with Motional. The companies have been working together for years, and have tested autonomous vehicles on public roads in Nevada, California, and elsewhere.