Autonomous Vehicles

Leading state and national stakeholders representing safety, public health, bicyclists, pedestrians, smart growth, consumer and environmental organizations, law enforcement and first responders, disability communities, and individuals affected by motor vehicle crashes asked the U.S. Senate to back off plans to move the AV START Act (S. 1885) that could set driverless car policy for decades to come until the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) completes important investigations into recent crashes involving automated driving systems that have killed at least two people – including a pedestrian walking a bicycle.

A coalition of organizations representing public health and safety professionals, smart growth advocates, bicyclists, pedestrians, consumers, first responders, and individuals with disabilities urged the leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee to ensure that future tragedies like exploding Takata airbags are not repeated with the mass deployment of experimental autonomous vehicles, or driverless cars. Both the Takata recall and the tragic crash late Sunday where an Uber being driven in autonomous mode struck and killed a pedestrian show what happens when vehicles are allowed on public roads without proper government safeguards and oversight.