If Google doesn't want to subject itself to that criteria, then that's a tacit admission the simulation is not guaranteed to catch all the problems real world testing can catch, and I would consider their proposal to be invalid on its face.
I think this is more along the lines of them wanting to avoid the time and expense, since every
new model will have to be tested after every code change, I guess.
The problem is.... can we really trust the simulations?
I would rather it be required to have a small fleet of at least 5 development vehicles log a few thousand road hours
and cover at least 20,000 miles of road each. Say with a minimum of 15,000 miles city driving per vehicle
in metropolitan areas, a minimum of 15,000 miles highway driving per vehicle, a minimum 5,000 miles
high-speed interstate driving, 5,000 miles country road driving, and 5,000 miles driving around small towns.
With at least 500 miles of driving within every category during each specific hour of the day,
at least 50 of those miles [for each hour of the day within each category] in light rain at least 50 in heavy rain at least 25 in light fog at least 25 in dense fog at least
25 in light snow at least 25 in dense snow at least 25 in freezing rain/sleet at least 10 in heavy winds at least 25 miles in combination with 3 or more hazardous conditions, at least 1000 miles of the city driving and of the interstate driving and of the highway driving operating on congested roads during rush hour. Must include driving in at least 4 states with no less than 5,000 miles per state and at least 5 different cities with a population of 300,000 or more and at least 10 different towns with a population of more than 10,000 but less than 100,000, with no less than 2000 miles for each large city and no less than 1,000 miles driven per each small town.
All driving must be video taped and reviewed for safety failures.
Testing must include at least 5,000 railroad crossings and at least 5,000 drawbridge crossings,
at least 100 trials of crossings must show the vehicle being required to yield or stop due to a hazardous condition.
Any 1 failure on the vehicle's part, and the entire test fails.