The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently revised its guidelines for automated vehicles, a move supported by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).
The guidelines – Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0 – discusses a pilot program on public roads and no longer recognizes the Obama administration’s 10 Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds designations.
It also requests comments from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on the inspection, repair, and maintenance of automated driving systems and requests comments from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on exemption petitions.
“Earlier this year, GHSA documented the many traffic safety issues that automated vehicles (AVs) pose for the states,” Russ Martin, GHSA director of policy and government relations, said. “These include considering how traffic laws and programs might change with the introduction of AVs, law enforcement preparation, and public acceptance. Public surveys suggest that many drivers are apprehensive about automated vehicles, despite their expected safety benefits. Industry, government, and safety groups need to work together not only to promote the use of this new safety technology but also ensure that the public will use it safely and as intended.”
MEMA said it would review the guidelines and submit comments to the DOT.