The Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) recently applauded a decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the SELF DRIVE Act, a bill that provides a roadmap for the continued deployment of highly-automated vehicles (HAV) in the United States.
The bill specifically includes a number of key priorities for association members, notably the affirmation of suppliers’ ability to test vehicle systems on public roads and clarifying the federal and state roles in regulating automated vehicles.
“There has been an alarming rise in traffic deaths in the U.S. in the last few years,” the organization said. “The factors contributing to this rise are still unclear, but one there is a proven way to reduce them: advanced driver assistance systems, such as automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive front lighting.”
According to a recent study conducted by MEMA, the full deployment of automated technologies in U.S. vehicles would decrease fatalities by approximately one third, or 10,000 lives, with more potential lives saved as additional technologies come on line.
A companion bill is currently being worked on in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Gary Peters (D-MI).