U.S. DOT Offers Revisions to Self-Driving Vehicle Guidance

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released new federal guidance for automated driving systems, called A Vision for Safety 2.0.

Sept. 15, 2017

Sept. 15, 2017—The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released new federal guidance for automated driving systems, called A Vision for Safety 2.0.

The new guidance focuses on SAE International Levels of Automation 3-5 (conditional, high, and full automation), clarifies the guidance process and that entities don’t need to wait to test or deploy their ADS. The document also revises unnecessary design elements from safety self-assessment, and clarifies federal and state roles going forward.

“The new guidance supports further development of this important new technology, which has the potential to change the way we travel and how we deliver goods and services,” said Elaine Cho, U.S. Transportation Secretary, in a statement. “The safe deployment of automated vehicle technologies means we can look forward to a future with fewer traffic fatalities and increased mobility for all Americans.”

The DOT and NHTSA have each recognized the importance of adaptivity when it comes to automated vehicle policy, and have already begun discussions for future revisions to self-driving vehicle guidance. To read full text of the current document, click here.