In today’s Bulldog wrapup of technology news:

  • The government redefines “driver” in a boost for computer-controlled cars
  • Durham-based Adwerx launches new advertising product
  • Twitter tweaks its timeline
  • Chinese investors offer $1.2B for Norwegian tech firm Opera

The details:

  • Government will consider Google computer to be car’s driver

Computers that control cars of the future can be considered drivers just like humans, the federal government’s highway safety agency has found.

The redefinition of “driver” by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an important break for Google, taking it a step closer to its goal of self-driving cars without steering wheels, pedals or human drivers.

But the company still has a long journey ahead before its cars get on the road in great numbers. While the safety agency agreed with Google’s “driver” reinterpretation in a recent letter, it didn’t allow other concessions and said numerous federal rules would have to be changed to permit the cars.

“NHTSA will interpret ‘driver’ in the context of Google’s described motor vehicle design as referring to the SDS (self-driving system) and not to any of the vehicle occupants,” Paul Hemmersbaugh, NHTSA’s chief counsel, wrote in the letter.

But the agency rejected many of Google’s claims that its cars met federal auto safety standards, including a requirement for foot and hand brakes. Google said the requirement wasn’t necessary because the electronic driver can stop the cars.

Yet the government said regulations are clear and would have to be changed to allow that.

“In a number of instances, it may be possible for Google to show that certain (federal) standards are unnecessary for a particular vehicle design,” Hemmersbaugh wrote. “To date, however, Google has not made such a showing.”

  • Adwerx unveils new product

Durham-based Adwerx, which provides localized digital advertising for over 25,000 real estate agents, on Wednesday launched a product that “delivers digital ads to an agent’s sphere of influence.”

“The real estate agent is able to choose exactly who to target online by uploading a list of emails or phone numbers, Adwerx says. “The Agent’s ads show to their sphere about once a day, representing a passive, always-on, marketing engine. This new product represents the next frontier in advertising technology as a highly targeted, affordable and effective means for staying top of mind.”

Read the details at:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adwerx-delivers-on-real-estates-biggest-need-marketing-to-an-agents-sphere-of-influence-300217876.html?tc=eml_cleartime

  • Twitter tweaks its timeline to look a bit more like Facebook

Twitter is tweaking its timeline. The social media site will let people turn on a setting that lets popular tweets related to people you follow show up first in your timeline, followed by the real-time feed most people on Twitter are used to.

It’s a significant change for the microblogging service, although its existing “while you were away” feature also highlights tweets from the recent past.

The Twittersphere exploded over the weekend on rumors that Twitter was changing its feed to look more like Facebook’s newsfeed. CEO Jack Dorsey was compelled to tweet that the real-time stream won’t change.

Pressure has been building on Twitter to accelerate user growth, and its stock has declined significantly. The company reports quarterly results after the market closes on Wednesday.

  • Chinese investors bid $1.2B for Norwegian tech firm Opera

Opera Software, a Norwegian company behind one of the world’s most popular browsers, says Chinese investors have made a $1.2 billion takeover offer, causing its stock to jump more than 30 percent.

Opera says its board has unanimously recommended that shareholders approve the deal by the Golden Brick Silk Road investment fund and other Chinese investors.

A company statement Wednesday said shareholders representing some 33 percent of Opera shares have committed to accepting the offer.

Opera, which began in 1991 as a research project at Norway’s largest telecoms company, Telenor, later became Opera Software. It developed the Opera browser, now among the top six global browsers with some 350 million users.

Opera Software shares shot up 36 percent to 66.90 kroner in early afternoon trading in Oslo.