The White House unveiled a nearly $4 billion, 10-year plan to advance the development of autonomous vehicles in the U.S.
"Automated vehicles open up possibilities for saving lives, saving time and saving fuel," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx at a press conference at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The initiative reflects a broader sentiment stated during President Obama’s State of the Union address to build a “21st century transportation system.”
The federal government is striving to implement the “model state policy” for autonomous vehicles that would provide “a path to consistent national policy” within the next six months, according to a government press release.
In total, the White House wants to spend $3.9 billion for pilot programs to test "connected vehicle systems" throughout the country. According to the White House, the autonomous cars have the potential to drastically cut down on accidents.
"We know that 83% of car accidents are due to human error," Foxx said. "What happens if human error could be eliminated? That's a powerful possibility, and that's a possibility worth pursuing."
