advanced driver-assistance systems

Is FMCSA tipping its hand on carrier safety fitness?

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators are providing a rare glimpse into information they may consider for a significant rule affecting how carriers are considered fit to be operating.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published on Friday a “notice of data availability” — or “NODA” — to alert the public about a set of studies it could rely on to develop a proposed or final rule that will be used to determine a carrier’s safety fitness rating.

“This NODA is necessary to disclose such...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/is-fmcsa-tipping-its-hand-on-carrier-safety-fitness

Truck safety lobby pressures DOT on crash prevention

truck crash

Truck safety advocates are calling on the Biden administration to act faster to prevent deaths resulting from large truck crashes, following new data compiled from federal sources.

The one-page report, released by the Truck Safety Coalition, ranks the 12 states with the highest fatality rates and overall deaths, based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

StateFatality rate*
Wyoming4.3
South Dakota3.1
Nebraska2.9
Arkansas2.9
Montana2.9
Alabama2.9
Idaho

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/truck-safety-lobby-pressures-dot-on-crash-prevention-equipment

Waymo tops NHTSA’s list for autonomous vehicle crashes

Waymo Via truck

Self-driving ride-hailing and autonomous trucking startup Waymo reported the most automated driving system (ADS) crashes over roughly the past year, according to a government report released on Wednesday aimed at creating more transparency into autonomous vehicle safety trends.

The “first-of-its-kind” data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed 130 crashes in vehicles equipped with ADS technology reported by manufacturers and operators between June 29, 2021, when NHTSA...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/waymo-tops-nhtsas-list-of-autonomous-vehicle-crashes

Truck crash deaths jump 13% to ‘crisis’ level

Truck on its side

Deaths in crashes involving trucks hit a “crisis” level and reversed a downward trend in place before the pandemic, according to federal regulators.

Based on preliminary data released Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, total estimated fatalities in crashes involving at least one large truck (gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds) increased by 13% from 2020 to 2021, from 4,965 to 5,601. That compares with a roughly 1% decline between 2019 and 2021...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/truck-crash-fatalities-jump-13-to-crisis-level

FMCSA relaxes rules for truck driver-assist devices

Manufacturers of driver-assist technology for trucks will have an easier time getting their systems installed thanks to a petition by Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) and approved by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

An FMCSA final rule based on the petition, scheduled to be published Monday, increases the area on the interior of truck cab windshields where certain vehicle safety technology devices may be mounted. The rule also expands the FMCSA’s definition of “vehicle safety...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-relaxes-rules-for-truck-driver-assist-devices

Feds predict at least 200 automated vehicle crashes annually

Self-driving cars and trucks under testing or being deployed commercially will likely be involved in at least 200 crashes annually over the next three years, according to estimates by federal regulators.

In seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget to gather new autonomous vehicle (AV) crash-data information, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed on Wednesday what it considers accurate estimates – based on automated driving system (ADS) crashes reported in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-predict-at-least-200-automated-vehicle-crashes-annually

Locomation convoy plan doubles down on autonomous trucking challenge

Autonomous trucking startup Locomation is pursuing with two Class 8 trucks what others are trying to accomplish with one: ultimately operating without a driver in either cab. 

The 3-year-old company is based in Pittsburgh, home of Carnegie Mellon University, a launch point for many of the brightest minds in robot cars and trucks. Founder Cetin Mericli is one of that group. 

Locomation is not just about autonomous trucks, a challenge of at least a half-dozen well-financed startup companies. San...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/locomation-convoy-plan-doubles-down-on-autonomous-trucking-challenge

Selling autonomy: Practical realities meet fully robotic aspirations

Two approaches dominate autonomous trucking: Keep working toward a flawless system that replaces the human driver with a robot. Or market what works today and keep striving for driverless operation.

All developers of high-autonomy Level 4 commercial trucks run real-world miles. Many haul freight on selected routes with safety drivers on board in case something goes wrong. TuSimple generated $1.5 million in revenue from supervised runs on its Autonomous Freight Network in Q2.

Repackaging for use...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/selling-autonomy-practical-realities-meet-fully-robotic-aspirations

FMCSA sees potential for human-autonomous team driver regulations

Federal regulators are anticipating the day when hours-of-service rules may have to be changed to accommodate automated driving systems.

Those changes could emerge in situations where half the team in a long-haul driving operation is not human, according to Jeff Loftus, who heads the technology division in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Office of Analysis, Research and Technology.

“We’re trying to anticipate new business models, where there could be instances with emerging...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-sees-potential-for-human-autonomous-team-driver-regulations

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