The self-driving car project started by George Hotz, the first person to ever jailbreak the iPhone, has been canceled. The project involved a $999 after-market kit called “Comma One” that was capable of adding semi-autonomous capabilities to Honda Civics and some Acura cars. Hotz canceled the product after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sent his company, Comma.ai, a letter expressing concern that the product “would put the safety of [Comma.ai’s] customers and other road users at risk.”
Hotz posted the full letter (which you can read here) to the Comma.ai Twitter account this morning. It was sent alongside a special order requesting more information about the Comma One, and The Verge was able to confirm its authenticity. Hotz also wrote that he “would much rather spend my life building amazing tech than dealing with regulators and lawyers. It isn’t worth it.” He went on to write that he was canceling Comma One, and that Comma.ai “will be exploring other products and markets.”