The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) recently urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to take action on its proposal to establish a new federal motor vehicle safety standard. No action has been taken on the proposal since last January.
The proposal would include the use of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications in all new passenger vehicles. V2V allows vehicles to see and talk to each other.
The technology will enhance vehicle safety by reducing or eliminating traffic fatalities and injuries, MEMA President and CEO Steve Handschuh said last year.
“[A]lthough potential V2V technology alternatives may become available at some undefined point in the future, deployment of a 5.9 GHz, DSRC V2V system is critical to achieve the next level of vehicle safety enhancements necessary to reduce fatalities on U.S. roadways today,” MEMA said. “This technology is well understood and has been rigorously tested in real-world conditions by our vehicle supplier members and their original equipment manufacturer customers.”
MEMA also told the NHTSA that it hoped the agency would complete its research and decide soon what to do about V2V.
Automobile suppliers have participated in many government-industry joint endeavors and research projects including the NHTSA Connected Vehicles Safety Pilot Project.