A proactive regulatory regime and a cooperative approach from auto makers are the key backdrops of the U.S. government’s policy for automated vehicles that was released last week. Time was when auto makers often clashed with regulators over safety requirements, and regulators often responded with hindsight wisdom. But automated vehicles, such as self-driving cars, could potentially save thousands of lives, especially when 94% of crashes on U.S. roadways are caused by human choice or error, according to a briefing from the U.S. department of transportation. The central aspect of the new guidelines is a 15-point safety assessment scale to guide the design, development, testing and deployment of automated vehicles. It could also help create consistent nationwide regulations, removing the need to comply with differing regulations as drivers cross state borders.…