The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently issued the first Federal policy guidelines for automated vehicles. The nonbinding guidelines are a preliminary step designed to lay out goals and work with manufacturers and designers of driverless cars to improve the technology without stifling innovation.

NHTSA called on makers of “highly autonomous vehicles” — those in which the vehicle can take full control in some circumstances — to test new features and share the data with the agency at least four months before the technology hits the road. Other portions of the policy apply to lower-levels of automation, including some driver-assistance systems already in use.

The guidance is voluntary until the agency undertakes rulemakings, some of which may require congressional authorization. The Department of Transportation is also seeking public comments on the policy.

The move represents a more forward-looking approach to traffic safety than the government has used in the past, since standards can take years to develop.

In announcing the new guidelines, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx stated:

New technologies developed in the twentieth century, like seat belts and air bags, were once controversial but have now saved hundreds of thousands of American lives. This is the first in a series of proactive approaches, including the release of a rule on vehicle-to-vehicle communications, which will bring lifesaving technologies to the roads safely and quickly while leaving innovators to dream up new safety solutions.

The Performance Guidance for Automated Vehicles includes:

• a 15-point safety assessment for the design, development, testing, and deployment of automated vehicles;
• a model State policy delineating the State and Federal regulatory roles;
• options for the use of current NHTSA regulations to ensure safe development of new technologies; and
• new laws and regulations that policymakes may consider in the future to aid in the safe and efficient deployment of new technologies.

NHTSA Administrator Dr. Mark Rosekind stated:

“Ninety-four precent of crashes on U.S. roadways are caused by a human choice or error. We are moving forward on the safe deployment of automated technologies because of the enormous promise they hold to address the overwhelming majority of crashes and safe lives.”

For more background on Federal traffic safety standards, see the June 1988 issue of Congressional Digest on “Drunk Driving.”