South Carolina Motorcycle Rights Association

June 30, 2021

For Immediate Release

Autonomous Vehicle Crash Data

This week the federal government took an important step in the oversight of autonomous vehicles on our nation’s roadways. Under an order issued Tuesday, manufacturers of autonomous vehicles must disclose data about crashes involving this new technology. The Motorcycle Riders Foundations applauds the Department of Transportation for implementing this commonsense policy which will protect all Americans.

As reported by Bloomberg news: 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is ordering car manufacturers to disclose crashes involving automated driving systems as part of an effort to monitor safety of new technologies being used on the nation’s roads.

The agency announced Tuesday it is issuing an order requiring crash reporting from manufacturers and operators of vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, including those that can perform driver tasks such as steering, changing speeds and switching lanes.

NHTSA said the action would allow regulators “to collect information necessary for the agency to play its role in keeping Americans safe on the roadways, even as the technology deployed on the nation’s roads continues to evolve.”

“By mandating crash reporting, the agency will have access to critical data that will help quickly identify safety issues that could emerge in these automated systems,” Steven Cliff, NHTSA’s acting administrator, said in a statement. “In fact, gathering data will help instill public confidence that the federal government is closely overseeing the safety of automated vehicles.”

The reporting requirement applies to automated driver assist systems that meet SAE International’s Level 2 automation, the agency said. SAE International, which is an automotive engineering association, crafted self-driving definitions that were later adopted by NHTSA. They used to be named the Society of Automotive Engineers.

To read the official NHTSA release here.

About Motorcycle Riders Foundation

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) provides leadership at the federal level for states’ motorcyclists’ rights organizations as well as motorcycle clubs and individual riders. The MRF is chiefly concerned with issues at the national and international levels that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. The MRF is committed to being a national advocate for the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle and works in conjunction with its partners to help educate elected officials and policymakers in Washington and beyond.

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