Skip to main content

ITE: position statement on C/AVs following fatal crash in Arizona

A strong government role remains critical to ensuring that the deployment of connected and automated vehicles (C/AVs) improves the quality of lives for all citizens – according to the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). The Washington DC-based company’s new position statement has been published following the fatal crash involving a self-driving car in Arizona and the rapid development of the technology. ITE highlighted that governments must provide the regulatory oversight to ensure that C/AV test
April 4, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

A strong government role remains critical to ensuring that the deployment of connected and automated vehicles (C/AVs) improves the quality of lives for all citizens – according to the 5667 Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). The Washington DC-based company’s new position statement has been published following the fatal crash involving a self-driving car in Arizona and the rapid development of the technology.

ITE highlighted that governments must provide the regulatory oversight to ensure that C/AV testing is done transparently and that public safety is not compromised. They can also play a key role in working with the private sector to facilitate deployment and remove regulatory barriers to widespread deployment of proven technologies. The institute highlighted that the private sector, working with the government, has the responsibility to verify that new technologies have been fully tested in off-the-road environments before they enter public roads.

ITE is recommending six key tenants for the development of these vehicles. It includes a Vision Zero goal which reflects the institute's opinion that eliminating fatalities and serious injuries is only possible through C/AVs. Secondly, new technologies must be evaluated in real-world conditions after being tested in off-the-road environments. In addition, ITE supports the rapid adoption of safety assist (SAE Level one) technologies such as lane keeping, blind spot warning, autonomous cruise control and automatic braking on all new vehicles. However, the fourth tenant underscores the institutes belief that SAE Level two and three systems requiring driver monitoring have not been proven safe for use on the open road, in all environments.  The next recommendation states that SAE Level four systems are the most appropriate as an objective for driverless vehicles. Tennant six estimates that cooperative systems achieved through communication between vehicles, infrastructure and other users will provide an enhanced layer of safety and must be pursued.  

More information on the tenants is available %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external here ITE website link false http://library.ite.org/pub/6059bdbd-aaef-45e4-58f6-f14962022873 false false%>.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Intertraffic debut for YoGoKo’s V2X communications
    March 20, 2018
    French start-up company YoGoKo makes its Intertraffic debut with its focus firmly set on the challenges associated with V2X communication and autonomous driving. A few hundred road maintenance vehicles and motor coaches equipped with YoGoKo’s hybrid (ITS-G5/cellular) communication systems are participating in the EU-funded Scoop@F pilot deployments. Working in real traffic conditions, the pilot aims to validate a set of initial cooperative ITS (C-ITS) services between vehicles and the roadside
  • Ride sharing services increase traffic, says Schaller Consulting
    August 1, 2018
    Ride sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, also called transportation network companies (TNC), are increasing congestion in US cities, says Schaller Consulting. The transport consultancy’s latest report reveals TNCs add 2.6 new vehicle miles on the road for each mile of personal driving removed, increasing driving on city streets by 160%. Called The New Automobility: Lyft, Uber and the Future of American Cities, the document combines research and data from a national travel survey to create a detailed
  • Sensoris platform releases vehicle-to-cloud data standard
    July 12, 2018
    A new vehicle-to-cloud data standard has been released to cover connected and automated driving. Available on Sensoris' platform - co-ordinated by ERTICO – ITS Europe and initiated by Here Technologies - it aims to close the loop between the vehicle’s sensors, map and connected services. Sensoris represents a group of vehicle manufacturers, telecommunications, location, content and service providers and navigation systems suppliers whose new specification is intended to be used across the automotive indu
  • ITS Summit 2016, Brisbane: Connected Autonomy in Smart Cities
    March 23, 2016
    Hosted by ITS Australia in partnership with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, the ITS Summit on Connected Autonomy in Smart Cities takes place on 23-24 May at the Queensland University of Technology. The growing international focus on smart cities where transport, utilities and healthcare communicate with each other to allow coordination and reduce waste, is a key driver for the provision of intelligent infrastructure across the road network. Such initiatives are being actively pursu