Statement Attributable to Auto Innovators President and CEO John Bozzella Regarding NHTSA’s Crash Reporting for Vehicles with Advanced Driver Assist Systems and Automated Driving Systems:
“In April, automakers representing nearly 99 percent of the new vehicles sold in the U.S. made an unequivocal public statement on the importance of effective driver monitoring for Level 2 systems. Our forward-leaning Level 2 Driver Monitoring Principles are intended to reiterate the importance of effective driver engagement in Level 2 Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) to ensure that these systems are being used properly.
“As we evaluate NHTSA’s new reporting obligations, it’s critical that consumers know and understand the benefits—and limitations—of these features to build and improve confidence in proven vehicle safety technologies. Misuse and abuse of Level 2 ADAS systems is extremely dangerous and threatens consumer acceptance and confidence in vehicles equipped with potentially life-saving ADAS technologies. Likewise, expanded customer acceptance and adoption of higher levels of automation can help to reduce the 94 percent of motor vehicle crashes that are attributed to human error.
“Auto Innovators is also committed to realizing the safety and mobility benefits from the deployment of vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS) and has outlined a number of key recommendations as part of the AV Roadmap that can be used by policymakers and regulators to advance the testing and deployment of automated vehicles in the United States."
Background on Level 2 Driver Monitoring Principles:
Auto Innovators principles proactively address effective driver monitoring systems for Level 2 vehicles, in which both lane centering and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) are simultaneously engaged. These features can help save lives by assisting drivers and reducing the potential for human error that could result in a crash, but not designed to operate independently of a human driver.
The principles outlined by Auto Innovators are focused on driver monitoring that determine or infer when a driver is not paying sufficient attention to the driving environment. The principles are broken down into several key areas, including consumer information, driver monitoring as a standard feature for Level 2 systems, driver warnings, re-engaging the driver, misuse and abuse, and camera-based systems. They incorporate important recommendations from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Consumer Reports, National Transportation Safety Board, and EuroNCAP.