2018 Federal Guide to Self-Driving Cars and Automated Driving: Preparing for the Future of Transportation - Automated Vehicles 3.0, Safety Issues and Role of the Government in Autonomous Regulation

This important report, released in October 2018, has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. America has always been a leader in transportation innovation. From the mass production of automobiles to global positioning system navigation, American ingenuity has transformed how we travel and connect with one another. With the development of automated vehicles, American creativity and innovation hold the potential to once again transform mobility. Automation has the potential to improve our quality of life and enhance the mobility and independence of millions of Americans, especially older Americans and people with disabilities. Moreover, the integration of automation across our transportation system has the potential to increase productivity and facilitate freight movement. But most importantly, automation has the potential to impact safety significantly— by reducing crashes caused by human error, including crashes involving impaired or distracted drivers, and saving lives.
Along with potential benefits, however, automation brings new challenges that need to be addressed. The public has legitimate concerns about the safety, security, and privacy of automated technology. So I have challenged Silicon Valley and other innovators to step up and help address these concerns and help inform the public about the benefits of automation. In addition, incorporating these technologies into our transportation systems may impact industries, creating new kinds of jobs. This technology evolution may also require workers in transportation fields to gain new skills and take on new roles. As a society, we must help prepare workers for this transition.

Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0 (AV 3.0) is another milestone in the Department's development of a flexible, responsible approach to a framework for multimodal automation. It introduces guiding principles and describes the Department's strategy to address existing barriers to safety innovation and progress. It also communicates the Department's agenda to the public and stakeholders on important policy issues, and identifies opportunities for cross-modal collaboration.

We will prioritize safety. Automation offers the potential to improve safety for vehicle operators and occupants, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and other travelers sharing the road. However, these technologies may also introduce new safety risks. U.S. DOT will lead efforts to address potential safety risks and advance the life-saving potential of automation, which will strengthen public confidence in these emerging technologies.

We will remain technology neutral. To respond to the dynamic and rapid development of automated vehicles, the Department will adopt flexible, technology-neutral policies that promote competition and innovation as a means to achieve safety, mobility, and economic goals. This approach will allow the public—not the Federal Government—to choose the most effective transportation and mobility solutions. We will modernize regulations. U.S. DOT will modernize or eliminate outdated regulations that unnecessarily impede the development of automated vehicles or that do not address critical safety needs. Whenever possible, the Department will support the development of voluntary, consensus-based technical standards and approaches that are flexible and adaptable over time. When regulation is needed, U.S. DOT will seek rules that are as nonprescriptive and performance-based as possible. As a starting point and going forward, the Department will interpret and, consistent with all applicable notice and comment requirements, adapt the definitions of "driver" and "operator" to recognize that such terms do not refer exclusively to a human.