US to Ease Rules Hindering Tesla’s Self-Driving Cybercab

The Trump administration is taking steps that would make it easier for automakers to deploy-self driving cars without driver controls, a potential boon to the ambitions of Tesla Inc. and rivals looking to put robotaxis on US roads in the near future.

Current rules require automakers that want to deploy self-driving cars designed without a steering wheel or brake pedals to seek an exemption from federal safety standards that effectively require that new cars have human driving controls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will “streamline” that exemption process, which under current policy has resulted in lengthy processing times that can last years, the agency said in a letter posted to its website on Friday.