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NHTSA: Self-Driving Cars Should Be Twice as Safe
When the first self-driving cars hit the road, they should be at least twice as safe as vehicles driven by humans, declares Mark Rosekind, head of the U.S.
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When the first self-driving cars hit the road, they should be at least twice as safe as vehicles driven by humans, declares Mark Rosekind, head of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A twofold improvement is needed to make autonomous driving systems worth the effort, he says. But the potential of the technology is far greater: NHTSA has estimated more than 90% of highway fatalities are the result of human errors, most of which it says could be eliminated by computer-controlled vehicles.
Rosekind made the challenge at the TU-Automotive Conference in suburban Detroit on Wednesday. He notes that traffic fatalities in the U.S. last year rose 17% to an “unacceptable” 38,300, ending years of decline.
NHTSA plans in July to announce guidelines for autonomous vehicles, including a suggested framework for state-level regulations that would enable the interstate use of automatic vehicles. The guidelines will include rules for testing autonomous cars on public roadways. Rosekind’s challenge hints that the federal guidelines also may set safety performance targets.
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