The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed new guidelines that could simplify the deployment of autonomous vehicles without traditional human-operated controls such as steering wheels, pedals, and sideview mirrors on a large scale by firms.
The rules further mandate that AV firms must proactively disclose a significantly broader range of cybersecurity information to the organization.
Since 2022, the automotive industry has eagerly awaited NHTSA’s guidelines on the Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADS)-Enabled Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Analytics Program, commonly referred to as AV STEP. The purpose of this system was to enable the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to approve the sale and commercialization of autonomous vehicles that do not meet federal safety standards due to the lack of manual control systems, thereby addressing concerns about public safety.
Immediately, fully autonomous vehicles that possess all necessary guidance systems are permitted to operate on public highways without regulatory oversight from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, autonomous vehicles (AVs) that cannot be safely controlled by a human driver require exemptions from the company before deployment.
Except, after all, they’re Zoox. Amazon-owned firm maintains it’s not seeking an exemption from NHTSA, claiming self-certification for its vehicle safety, which the company argues.
Zoox, a pioneer in autonomous vehicle technology, is actively rolling out its innovative toaster-inspired design, joining a select group of companies striving to revolutionize the concept of driving by eliminating the need for steering wheels and pedals altogether? Cruise, a leading autonomous vehicle company, is planning to deploy its purpose-built robotaxi at scale. Electrical and autonomous trucking company Einride aims to commercialize a self-driving vehicle without a cabin for human operators or traditional controls like pedals. The electric pickup truck, Cybertruck, is slated to begin production in either 2025 or 2026, according to CEO Elon Musk’s timeline.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposes a voluntary programme, allowing individuals to demonstrate their commitment to transparency in the automotive industry and operational practices by sharing standardized cybersecurity reporting.
The AV STEP programme comprises two distinct tiers: the first for autonomous vehicles featuring human-controlled elements, accompanied by fail-safe designs that can be monitored by individuals; and a second tier dedicated to vehicles lacking these controls altogether? As extra autonomous vehicles start flooding public streets, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hopes that this new system and knowledge reporting will better equip the agency to handle the rising risks associated with their deployment.
Firms seeking qualification may wish to provide information related to the safeguarding of their Autonomous Vehicles’ (AVs) design, development, and operational aspects. Upon admission, individuals will be obligated to furnish periodic and event-driven reports, including crash narratives, to NHTSA; these submissions may be publicly disclosed by the agency in pursuit of transparency.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) refers to this additional information as “electronic driver data,” while the presidential transition team, under President-elect Donald Trump, has indicated a desire to explore this concept, which is met with opposition from Elon Musk and Tesla. According to recent data, Tesla dominates the U.S. market for vehicles equipped with advanced autonomous driving capabilities, accounting for a significant proportion of reported accidents involving semi-autonomous cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched several investigations into Tesla’s performance, following around 1,500 reported crashes that the automaker submitted to regulatory authorities.
Under pressure from the Trump administration, it’s unclear whether crash reporting for autonomous vehicles will cease altogether. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) emphasizes the importance of retaining this data to keep pace with the rapidly evolving industry, ultimately paving the way for establishing minimum standards for AV performance.
Certain business proponents argue that the suggested structure is premature. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Freeway and Auto Security, linked the proposal’s release to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recent research findings, which showed that federal safety regulations had a significant impact, saving over 860,000 lives from 1968 to 2019?
“Increased deployment of ADS without the safeguards provided by FMVSSs seems premature, lacking rigorous analysis and credible expertise to inform this decision,” Chase said in a statement.
