Layoffs at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) threaten to hinder the progress of autonomous vehicle deployment in the U.S. Nearly half of the Office of Automation Safety's staff was terminated, leaving it critically understaffed with a diminished pool of specialized knowledge. This follows a recent push from Elon Musk's DOGE to reduce federal workforce, despite ongoing legal challenges. The cuts will impact the regulatory landscape for self-driving vehicles, potentially slowing down companies like Tesla that are eager to launch robotaxis.
The Office of Automation Safety, which develops regulations for autonomous vehicles, lost three of its seven employees during a Valentine's Day cull of government workers.
There was a massive push in the government over the past year to hire people from the actual autonomous vehicle industry to assist in regulating and understanding it.
Since the government fired all recently hired employees, almost all of that private sector knowledge is now gone, leaving the office extremely understaffed.
The cuts had left the office extremely understaffed with less specialized knowledge about the autonomous vehicle sector.
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