HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-11-07; Traffic Safety Commission; ; Review of recently adopted national guidelines for use of autonomous vehiclesCOMMITTEE MEETING OF:
CITY OF CARLSBAD
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
November 7, 2016 ITEM NO. 6D
LOCATION: National Guidelines for Autonomous Vehicles
Staff INITIATED BY:
REQUESTED ACTION: Review of recently adopted national guidelines for use of
autonomous vehicles
BACKGROUND:
DATA:
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is the federal Cabinet department of the U.S.
government concerned with transportation and is governed by the United States
Secretary of Transportation. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the
branch of California State Transportation Agency responsible for: registering motor
vehicles; issuing driver's licenses; and regulating automobile dealers in California.
Self-driving, or "autonomous", vehicles are able to navigate on a roadway system
without direct human input or guidance. Autonomous vehicles sense their environment
using a variety of techniques such as radar, global positioning systems (GPS), and
computerized vision. In 2015 roughly 95% of the 32,200 fatalities that occurred on our
nation's roadway system were due to human error. Autonomous vehicles have the
potential to significantly reduce these types of collisions and create safer automobile
travel. Autonomous vehicles are also envisioned as a way to reduce the cost of public
transportation because it significantly reduces the labor costs associated with operating
busses and trains. Autonomous vehicle technology was a central theme to the Carlsbad
Coastal Mobility Readiness Plan completed by staff earlier this year.
In September 2016 the DOT published the Federal Autamated Vehicles Policy:
Accelerating the Next Revolution in Roadway Safety. This document was highly
anticipated because the DOT is in a position to promote or significantly inhibit the use
of autonomous vehicles using its regulatory power. The attached article from the LA
Times includes quotes from industry experts and concludes that the new DOT report
"squarely puts tech companies, carmakers and the government on the same side." The
new guidelines are flexible so that government can quickly adjust laws and regulations
as more autonomous vehicles are used on public roadways. Anthony Foxx, current
secretary of the Transportation Department, said that technology moves so fast that
the DOT guidelines should be considered "a living document" that leaves room for
"more growth and changes in the future." The DOT, through the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), will take responsibility for regulating the driving
hardware and software.
The DOT developed a model set of policies that individual states can use so that
consistent regulations are enacted throughout the country. The California DMV has
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been anticipating these federal guidelines to clarify its role to ensure the safety of
autonomous vehicle use on California roads. As noted above, the DOT will regulate the
adequacy of specific equipment for use of public roadways, including a "15-point safety
assessment" that manufacturers and other autonomous technology firms must submit
in order to meet the federal guidelines. Under this approach the auto manufacturers
will look to one federal agency (instead of numerous individual states) to regulate
autonomous vehicle parts, while the DMV will establish liability rules for self-driving
vehicles (e.g., will the manufacturer, owner or operator need to have vehicle
insurance).
Since 2012 the OMV has permitted companies like Google, Honda, and Tesla to test
autonomous vehicles on California roads. But without these federal guidelines, the
state implemented strict regulations including a requirement that a legal driver be
ready to take control of the autonomous vehicle. California OMV has committed to a
review of these permit regulations and could implement the model state policy
included in the DOT guidelines.
Carlsbad is in the process of developing a pilot project along Cannon Road and El
Camino Real that is envisioned to become a test bed for autonomous vehicle use in the
city. Staff will make a presentation on this project at a future TSC meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff will continue to monitor this topic and keep the Traffic Safety Commission
informed of new developments related to the federal and state regulation of
autonomous vehicles.
NECESSARY CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
None. This item is informational only.
Attachments: LA Times article on new DOT guidelines for autonomous vehicles
LA Times article on new California DMV guidelines for autonomous vehicles
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