The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released some of its first insights into the performance of advanced vehicle technologies this week, owing to data collected over the last year through a Standing General Order.
With this initial release, additional updates should follow monthly. They cover both Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Automated Driving Systems (ADS), looking at how these innovative technologies have fared in terms of roadway safety. In this regard, data covered various levels of automated systems deployed at least 30 seconds before crashes occurred, though this also showcased several limitations to the dataset and its sources.
“The data released today are part of our commitment to transparency, accountability and public safety,” Dr. Steven Cliff, NHTSA’s Administrator, said. “New vehicle technologies have the potential to help prevent crashes, reduce crash severity and save lives, and the Department is interested in fostering technologies that are proven to do so; collecting this data is an important step in that effort. As we gather more data, NHTSA will be able to better identify any emerging risks or trends and learn more about how these technologies are performing in the real world.”
Since reporting began last June, a single crash reported for an ADS-equipped vehicles led to serious injuries, while 108 other crashes allowed those involved to emerge unscatched. Another 11 involved other road users such as pedestrians or cyclists. Total, 130 crashes were reported with ADS-equipped vehicles.
Meanwhile, SAE L2 ADAS-equipped vehicles yielded 11 serious injuries or fatalities, although 98 crashes involved injuries in general. In all, 116 collisions were reported with other vehicles and at least four cases involved vulnerable road users.
The NHTSA reports that ADAS systems are becoming increasingly common features on many new vehicles, inclusive of driver assistance functions that combine technologies such as lane centering assistance and adaptive cruise control. This is not an autopilot system, though: drivers are still necessary. ADS, in contrast, aims to completely handle driving in limited circumstances, though their use remains limited to testing and they are not currently for sale.
While none of the data provided in this report could be considered comprehensive, by the NHTSA’s assessment, it showed that some reporting entities offer quicker information than others, because their vehicles are equipped with telematics capabilities. Others relied on consumer complaints to even begin collecting data, or field reports. A major limitation in reporting was that the NHTSA could not use data to compare and contrast the safety of various manufacturers, as these entities currently withhold the number of vehicles deployed and vehicle miles traveled.