Advocates has sent a letter of support for advancing Senate Bill (SB) 572 in the California Legislature. The bill would require manufacturers of Level 2 advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) vehicles to report collisions to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if the federal government ceases requiring crash reporting. Level 2 ADAS vehicles have driver support features including lane centering and adaptive cruise control, but require a driver at all times. Collecting such data is vital to ensure Level 2 vehicles are operating as safely as possible.
Currently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Standing General Order (General Order) 2021-01 requires vehicle and equipment manufacturers and operators of autonomous driving systems (ADS) and Level 2 ADAS system vehicles to report collisions under specified conditions. NHTSA makes this data publicly available on their website and can use these data to respond to crashes that raise safety concerns about the technology through further investigation and enforcement. According to NHTSA data, California has the most crashes involving Level 2 ADAS vehicles – 747, which is over 500 more crashes than any other state.
If the NHTSA ceases collecting and reporting this important public safety data, SB 572 will require manufacturers to report collisions involving Level 2 ADAS vehicles that meet specific criteria to the DMV, and require the DMV to make the data public to ensure that consumers, regulators and stakeholders have access to this critical information. It will ensure oversight of driver assistance technology and improve transparency, accountability, and vehicle safety.
Read the full letter here.