The ongoing federal government’s staffing reduction is leaving a gap in industries that need support from regulation, including driverless cars, TPL Co-Director Ryan Calo said.

In an article in Politico examining autonomous vehicle regulation, Calo spoke out against the changing landscape.

“[The Transportation Department] is taking away existing regulations that would stand in the way of autonomous vehicles,” he said. “They’re trying to figure out how to revise their own code so that this is possible. Reducing personnel is just stupid.”

There are multiple layers of concern, including legality and safety.

“If a driverless car is involved in an accident, people are going to get nervous about them,” Calo said. “They need a trusted expert body that’s impartial, like the Department of Transportation, to be able to look at those situations.”

Read the full article here: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/digital-future-daily/2025/08/13/driverless-cars-face-a-regulator-gap-00506938