Disengagement Reporting for AI Self-Driving Cars is Woefully Insufficient

Dr. Lance B. Eliot, AI Insider

Each year, California releases a report listing the various “disengagements” of AI self-driving cars that are formally authorized to operate in California, and for which those auto makers and tech firms doing so are required to file the prescribed reports dutifully with the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles).

The excitement and anxiousness to see the latest reporting is somewhat reminiscent of a classic movie. Let’s see if you can guess which one, here’s my clue: “The new phonebook is here! The new phonebook is here!”

Yes, you might recall that comedian Steve Martin made that famous exclamation in his now-classic movie The Jerk. He was referring to seeing his name in-print (well, his movie character’s name), and being excited to know that he had finally made it to the big time.

Likewise, when the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) releases its eagerly awaited collection of so-called “disengagement” reports there are similar exhortations.

A disengagement is considered an instance in which the autonomous mode of the self-driving car was disengaged by a human back-up driver, doing so presumably because the human back-up driver judged that the self-driving car was unable to handle…