The US Department of Transportation has introduced a new framework that significantly reduces the amount of detailed public crash information that automakers and tech developers must report when testing self-driving and advanced driver-assistance features. The move is seen as a boon for the self-driving car industry, which has long complained about the burden of federal crash-reporting requirements. However, safety advocates argue that the changes will limit crucial information available to watchdog groups and researchers studying autonomous vehicles.
Key Changes to Crash Reporting
The new rules allow companies to withhold certain crash details, including the automation version involved and incident narratives, citing “confidential business information.” Self-driving vehicle developers will no longer need to report crashes with property damage under $1,000 if the incident doesn’t involve the self-driving car crashing or striking another vehicle. Makers of advanced driver-assistance features, such as Tesla’s Full Self-Driving, will only need to report crashes resulting in fatalities, hospitalizations, airbag deployments, or strikes on vulnerable road users.
Impact on Safety Monitoring
Experts warn that these changes may make it harder to identify patterns in self-driving vehicles’ mistakes. “You’re getting less reporting now,” says Noah Goodall, an independent researcher studying autonomous vehicles. “From my perspective, more data is good.” Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of marketing at Telemetry, notes that the changes limit “one of the only sources of publicly available data that we have on incidents involving Level 2 systems.”
Industry Reaction
The new framework has been welcomed by the vehicle industry. The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association called it a “bold and necessary step” in developing federal policy for autonomous vehicles. John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said it signals that AV policy is no longer an afterthought in America. However, safety advocates like William Wallace from Consumer Reports expressed concerns, stating that the changes “close the door on a huge number of additional reports” and move in the opposite direction of their efforts to fight incident underreporting.
Tesla and Other Companies Benefit
Tesla is expected to be a significant beneficiary of the new rules, as it will be able to curtail public reporting on its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. The company may also face an easier path to federal safety approval for its upcoming Cybercab, a robotaxi without a steering wheel or brakes. “The company that probably benefits the most from that is Tesla,” Abuelsamid observes.
Future Implications
While the changes are not as drastic as some had feared – such as eliminating all government crash-reporting requirements – they mark a shift towards more lenient regulations for the autonomous vehicle industry. The Department of Transportation maintains that the new framework aims to increase the commercial deployment of new car technology, framing it as part of an “innovation race” with China. As the industry moves forward, the balance between promoting innovation and ensuring public safety remains a critical issue.
