Lawmakers yesterday urged the Taiwan Transportation Safety Board (TTSB) to work with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to regulate online sales of so-called “miraculous self-driving devices,” which they said could compromise road safety.
TTSB Chairperson Lin Shinn-der (林信得) was invited by the legislature’s Transportation Committee to give a briefing about the agency’s performance in the past fiscal year.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) raised concerns about hazards that could be caused by “miraculous self-driving devices,” which drivers can purchase online for NT$300.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
The advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) is designed to relieve drivers’ burden, not to replace drivers, Hung said, adding that it has been proven that misusing ADAS could lead to traffic accidents.
Drivers are told that they must still place both hands on the steering wheel even when using ADAS, but the device can simulate the experience of hands on the steering wheels and essentially encourages drivers to remove their hands, making it a public hazard, Hung said.
Sales of the device continue despite the ministry warning sellers that it might contravene the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例), Hung said.
The board should work with other government agencies to regulate the device and ban drivers from using them, he said.
Lin pledged to discuss the issue and possible solutions in one month with the transport ministry, the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Taiwan does not have a 100 percent autonomous driving system yet, Lin said, adding that cars in Taiwan have mostly auxiliary driving systems.
“We have investigated accidents related to the use of ADAS and published suggestions for improvement last year,” Lin said.
The Freeway Bureau has also posted reminders of the limitations of the automatic assisted driving system on electronic display boards on freeways, he said.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he
RSS