Senators tell NHTSA to make way for self-driving cars

US Senators Cory A. Booker and Deb Fisher, members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, have sent a bipartisan letter to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) administrator Mark Rosekind to request an update on agency policies related to automated vehicle technology and to urge the NHTSA to embrace policies that promote innovation in and the improved safety benefits of the technology. “These technologies promise to significantly reduce roadway accidents, shorten
March 23, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
US Senators Cory A. Booker and Deb Fisher, members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, have sent a bipartisan letter to 834 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) administrator Mark Rosekind to request an update on agency policies related to automated vehicle technology and to urge the NHTSA to embrace policies that promote innovation in and the improved safety benefits of the technology.

“These technologies promise to significantly reduce roadway accidents, shorten commutes, and increase productivity for the American people in the coming years. We look forward to working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to accelerate the safety benefits of this technology and encourage states as they consider its potential,” the senators wrote.

In order to ensure that Congress effectively partners with the NHTSA, the senators requested answers to questions such as : what steps the NHTSA is taking towards finalising a policy on automated vehicles that embraces innovation and improved safety benefits; How NHTSA is providing guidance to states on the safe exploration of this new technology; What guidance NHTSA is providing to industry on the submission of requests for interpretation regarding the application of FMVSS to autonomous vehicle technologies; and hat barriers exist to the research and integration of autonomous vehicles that Congress could address.
Location Based Systems Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Transport planning consultation is culturally important
    February 2, 2012
    Andrew Bardin Williams explores the efforts under way in North Dakota to consult with native tribes during the early stages of transportation project development. These efforts have led to the signing of a Programmatic Agreement between the state DOT and local tribes and the creation of a tribal consultation committee that allows Native Americans to advise on the identification, evaluation and treatment of historic properties, including those of religious and cultural significance
    Read More
  • Visionary UK strategy ‘needed to unblock benefits of new motoring technologies’
    March 6, 2015
    The UK government Transport Select Committee has called for a Visionary UK strategy to maximise benefits of new motoring technology in its report, Motoring of the Future. The committee says new automotive technologies could unblock congested highways, deliver a step change in road safety and provide the basis for rapid industrial growth, but the Department for Transport (DfT) will need to develop a comprehensive strategy to maximise the benefits of new motoring technology, such as telematics and driverless
    Read More
  • Joining the dots: four ways to help cities make the connection
    May 18, 2018
    Smoothing the path to connected transportation systems in urban areas all round the world takes a lot of planning: Cisco’s Kyle Connor lays out the four key areas on which he thinks cities should focus. Forward-thinking cities around the world are exploring innovative, new ways to leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) and related technologies to create more connected and efficient transportation systems. Through greater digitisation and connectivity, cities can optimise public transit routes, reduce
    Read More
  • US trade associations respond to Highway Trust Fund patch
    July 31, 2014
    The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARBTA) have responded to the Senate passage of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act which extends funding for the Highway Trust Fund through May 2015. “Today’s Senate passage of the Highway Trust Fund patch does not negate the need for a long-term solution to our country’s infrastructure funding crisis. Congress must develop a comprehensive plan to address the critical f
    Read More

Highlighted Content