NHTSA Shouldn’t Cut National Autonomous Vehicle Regs!

More than auto industry jobs are at stake here.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) has announced the “intention to prematurely end a critical national automated-vehicle (AV) pilot program” according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation – aka Auto Innovators – that continues to emphasize the program’s strategic value.

AutoInformed thinks that more than US auto industry jobs are at stake here. AV technology can reduce congestion, improve safety for passengers and pedestrians, and spur unknown innovations to help the United States lead the global automotive industry.

Auto Innovators President and CEO John Bozzella sent a June 24 letter to the agency highlighting that the program is a necessary component of a “much-needed, long-overdue federal regulatory AV framework. “The letter also cites the pilot program’s inclusion in the industry’s recently released AV Policy Roadmap, which is a detailed look that includes 14 specific recommendations for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other federal policymakers considered key to advancing AV testing and deployment in the United States.

“One of the key recommendations contained in the Roadmap was the establishment of a robust pilot program for AV testing and deployment,” wrote Bozzella. Auto Innovators stressed the importance of establishing a national pilot program – under NHTSA’s oversight – in creating a safer and cleaner future in the United States.

NHTSA recently announced plans to abandon the pilot. However, Auto Innovators contends – not without good reasons – the program could support safe testing and deployment of AVs in the near-term and at scale, as the agency continues its efforts to develop a longer-term and more permanent regulatory framework.