The slow approval of self-driving cars is costing lives

Critics of autonomous vehicles, or AVs , can fixate on nonsense if they choose, says John Sutter .

Sutter: Many states are pushing "driver-in" laws that require a human driver in the driver's seat, which defeats the purpose of the technology.

But fear of the unknown often drives policy, Sutter says.

So, sure, it might be funny to think about dueling robots on L.A. streets, but let's not let minor foibles cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. This was first published in The Orange County Register ..