Contacts: Eric Naing, 217-493-8294, enaing@saferoads.org, Bill Bronrott, 202-270-4415, bronrott@gmail.com
CLICK HERE FOR A COPY OF THE DRIVERLESS CAR POLL REPORT
MEDIA ALERT:
Large Majorities of Americans Voice Significant and Widespread Concerns about the Development and Deployment of Driverless Cars
Consumer and Safety Leaders to Reveal New Poll Results as the Detroit Auto Show Opens and Congress Races to Pass Autonomous Vehicle Legislation that Puts Automakers in the Driver’s Seat
WHAT:
MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL – Leading safety and consumer advocates will reveal the results of a new public opinion poll regarding autonomous vehicles (AVs), also referred to as “driverless cars.” A CARAVAN poll conducted in December 2017 exposed widespread concerns across major segments of American society about sharing the road with driverless cars and the lack of government oversight to ensure auto manufacturer accountability as they are developed and deployed on public roads.
The vast majority of respondents opposed mass exemptions from existing federal safety standards. The public expressed strong support for U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) safety rules for driverless cars, cybersecurity protections against hacking, performance requirements for computers that operate AVs, and improving consumer information.
These results should be a wake-up call to Congress, which is considering legislation that will set policy on driverless cars for years to come. The House passed the SELF DRIVE Act (Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution Act, H.R. 3388) on September 6, 2017. The Senate AV START Act (American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies Act, S. 1885) was reported out of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on October 4, 2017 and is awaiting floor action. Before a final bill is passed, a correction course is needed to address significant safety shortcomings and serious public concerns revealed in the poll.
WHEN:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. EST
WHO:
Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
Jackie Gillan, President Emeritus, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
Joan Claybrook, Former Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Jack Gillis, Director of Public Affairs, Consumer Federation of America
Shaun Kildare, Director of Research, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
HOW TO JOIN THE MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL
U.S. Toll Free: 800-875-3456
Canadian Toll Free: 800-648-0973
International Toll: 302-607-2001
Verbal Passcode (to be given to operator): CHAS86425
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