U.S. proposes $4 billion investment in autonomous-vehicle technology
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Thursday unveiled a 10-year, nearly $4 billion proposal to accelerate the development and adoption of vehicle automation. The proposal builds on President Obama’s stated intention during his State of the Union address to invest in a 21st century transportation system.
In addition to the investment, Foxx said his department wants to remove potential roadblocks to the integration of transformational automotive technology that can improve safety, mobility, and sustainability. The investment could address issues ranging from rule interpretation to autonomous-vehicle test and analysis.
“We are on the cusp of a new era in automotive technology with enormous potential to save lives, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and transform mobility for the American people,” said Foxx, speaking at the North American Auto Show in Detroit. “Today’s actions and those we will pursue in the coming months will provide the foundation and the path forward for manufacturers, state officials, and consumers to use new technologies and achieve their full safety potential.”
Fox also released new policy guidance that reflects the reality that the widespread deployment of fully autonomous vehicles is now feasible.
“NHTSA is using all of its available tools to accelerate the deployment of technologies that can eliminate 94% of fatal crashes involving human error,” said NHTSA administrator Mark Rosekind. “We will work with state partners toward creating a consistent national policy on these innovations, provide options now and into the future for manufacturers seeking to deploy autonomous vehicles, and keep our safety mission paramount at every stage.”
DOT is committed to several milestones in 2016:
- NHTSA will work with industry to develop a common understanding of the performance characteristics necessary for autonomous vehicle test and analysis.
- DOT and NHTSA will develop new tools and consider seeding new authorities to ensure fully autonomous vehicles are deployed in large numbers when able to deliver equivalent or higher level of safety that is available now.
- NHTSA will work with states to develop a model state policy that can lead to a consistent national policy.
This last item could be of particular significance. In the Wall Street Journal, Mike Spector and Mike Ramsey point out that car makers prefer a clear national roadmap instead of a state-by-state patchwork of rules. They add, “In Europe, the lack of a consensus has frustrated executives at Volvo Car Corp. and others developing the technologies.”
Several states have already launched autonomous vehicle programs. For example, lawmakers in California, Texas, and Virginia have announced initiatives to capture some of the $20 billion that global companies will spend on autonomous vehicle development over the next five years.
Foxx on Thursday also encouraged manufacturers to submit rule interpretation requests, noting that NHTSA had already responded to a request from BMW with regard to its remote self-parking system.
Mike Jackson, chief executive at dealership chain AutoNation, calls autonomous technology a “guardian angel.” Spector and Ramsey quote him as saying, “The benefit of autonomous cars is misunderstood. It’s not the luxury of having this computer drive the car for you. If the computer realizes you’re about to do something completely stupid, it will intervene.”
And as previously reported, autonomous vehicles could aid drivers who become incapacitated.
