LOS ANGELES (AP) — Google wants Congress to create new federal powers that would let the tech giant receive special, expedited permission to bring to market a self-driving car that has no steering wheel or pedals.

Google laid out the proposal in a recent letter to federal transportation officials. The technology faces a major regulatory roadblock: U.S. law does not permit the mainstream deployment of cars with the design Google has been advancing, which would not allow a person to drive them.

Self-driving cars may sound futuristic, but Google has dropped increasingly strong hints that they could be ready for early adopters sooner than the public expects.

Federal regulators who want to speed adoption of the technology, provided it is safe, said they would hear from others in the auto industry before deciding on an approach.

 

More From News Talk KIT