At the end of July, key Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) board members held a meeting with half a dozen officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding autonomous vehicles. It was a frustrating meeting.
At the outset, NHTSA officials promised a safety report, likely to appear in the fall, which they say will shed light on how this new technology interacts with motorcycles. While they seemed optimistic about what the study will show, we remain concerned. One reason for the concern is what we believe to be a lack of urgency from the federal government to set guidelines and legal standards.
The MRF participants stressed a few key points. First, there is clearly a lack of knowledge by consumers about what these products can and cannot do. It seems all too often that misleading promotional material gives drivers a false sense of what these cars are capable of. While officials at NHTSA may know what the cars are designed to do, it seems obvious many of the people behind the wheel of these cars do not.
We also pointed out the growing number of crashes that involve Teslas and motorcycles. Earlier this summer, former NHTSA senior safety adviser, Missy Cummings, told the Washington Post, “It’s very dangerous for motorcycles to be around Teslas.” Disappointingly, NHTSA refused to comment on this, citing an open investigation into those crashes.
On a positive note, a member of Congressman Tim Walberg’s staff attended the meeting and asked key questions about the rollout of the next level in autonomous vehicles. Congressional staff being present sends a clear message to the bureaucrats at NHTSA that at least some on Capitol Hill are worried about motorcyclists.
We are fast approaching a turning point in the development of autonomous vehicles. Currently, most of the autonomous vehicles on the road are “Level 2.” This means “the driver is fully responsible for driving the vehicle while the system provides continuous assistance with both acceleration/braking and steering.” However, a huge jump is made with “Level 3.” At this stage “the system handles all aspects of driving while the driver remains available to take over driving if the system can no longer operate.”
To see NHTSA classification levels for automation click here.
Despite our frustration with the lack of action on this topic, the MRF remains in the fight. Meetings like this, while disappointing, keep us in their face. We are committing to holding manufacturers and regulators accountable for the safety of ALL roadway users.