To be clear, the testing for getting a learner's permit (where I live at least) is 7 out of 10 questions on a multiple choice test, and the test for a driver's license is a 20 minute drive-about where the driver gets to more or less choose the area they'll drive and the weather when the test is done.
I don't think it's even a very tough argument that these are at best basically limited filters on actual driver skill. I've known people who literally went to another city for favourable conditions for their driver test. I've known of people who passed having driven not much more than a few hours in their lives.
Nowadays if you want to be the driver in the passenger seat for a learner you need to do a somewhat more difficult test and be older.
Also, I'm really not talking about this specific case but I think it's particularly relevant that in this case there was a qualified driver able to take over for the autonomous vehicle, which is actually more supervision than a 14 year old with a learner's permit has.
I don't think it's even a very tough argument that these are at best basically limited filters on actual driver skill. I've known people who literally went to another city for favourable conditions for their driver test. I've known of people who passed having driven not much more than a few hours in their lives.
Nowadays if you want to be the driver in the passenger seat for a learner you need to do a somewhat more difficult test and be older.
Also, I'm really not talking about this specific case but I think it's particularly relevant that in this case there was a qualified driver able to take over for the autonomous vehicle, which is actually more supervision than a 14 year old with a learner's permit has.