The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is holding talks with General Motors Co (GM.N) on the automaker’s petition to deploy a limited number of self-driving vehicles on American roads without steering wheels or other human controls, the head of the agency said on Friday.

Acting NHTSA Administrator James Owens said his agency aims to make a decision soon on GM’s January 2018 petition as well as a request by Softbank Corp-backed (9434.T) driverless delivery startup Nuro to deploy a limited number of low-speed, highly automated delivery vehicles without human occupants.

The agency’s review comes at a time of heightened concerns about the safety of automated piloting systems in vehicles and aircraft, a potential revolution in ground and air transportation.
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