On Sept. 13, 2017, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released new federal guidance for Automated Driving Systems (ADS): A Vision for Safety 2.0. This document updates the original 2016 guidance by incorporating public and congressional feedback.
Specifically, the new guidance:
- Focuses on SAE International Levels of Automation 3-5 – Automated Driving Systems – Conditional, High and Full Automation
- Clarifies the guidance process and that entities do not need to wait to test or deploy their ADS
- Revises unnecessary design elements from safety self-assessment
- Aligns federal guidance with the latest developments and industry terminology
- Clarifies federal and state roles going forward
On release of the guidance, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao stated, “The new guidance supports further development of this important new technology, which has the potential to change the way we travel and how we deliver goods and services. The safe deployment of automated vehicle technologies means we can look forward to a future with fewer traffic fatalities and increased mobility for all Americans.”
DOT and NHTSA have both recognized the importance of adaptivity when it comes to automated vehicle policy and have already begun discussions for A Vision for Safety 3.0.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) is a member of Coalition for Future Mobility, a twelve-stakeholder group calling for greater road safety, cleaner air and enhanced independence and self-sufficiency through the development and deployment of highly automated vehicle technologies.
To read the full text of the A Vision for Safety guidance, go to www.nhtsa.gov.
