Vehicle Safety: The Future is Now

The Daily Toll of Car Crashes in the United States

Each day across the United States, over 100 lives are lost due to traffic collisions. These tragedies impact individuals from all walks of life, including young people like the daughter of Michael Lewis and Tabitha Soren, along with her boyfriend, who perished in a wrong-way driving incident.

Recognizing Preventable Loss

The loss extends to public figures, such as Kevin Clark, the drummer from “School of Rock,” who was fatally struck by a driver while cycling. Countless others, like Janell Katesigwa of Albuquerque, New Mexico, leave behind grieving families – in her case, four children – after being victims of impaired driving.

A Stalled Response from Congress

Alongside these daily tragedies, a concerning pattern emerges: a noticeable lack of swift action from Congress to mandate the implementation of readily available technologies designed to prevent future incidents.

Business as Usual Hinders Progress

Unfortunately, the advancement of crucial safety technology is being hampered by typical Washington practices, characterized by extensive discussion regarding life-saving measures, yet limited concrete steps toward implementation.

Existing Technologies Offer Solutions

Advanced vehicle safety systems, including driver monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warnings, possess the potential to significantly reduce crashes – those previously mentioned, and the numerous others stemming from impaired, distracted, or fatigued driving.

Standardization is Key

However, the full benefits of these technologies will only be realized when they are incorporated as standard equipment in all new vehicles. When standards, oversight, and accountability combine to save tens of thousands of lives annually, federal intervention becomes essential.

The Upcoming Highway Bill Debate

In the coming months, Congress will engage in deliberations concerning the future of transportation in the U.S., primarily focusing on the reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Act, commonly known as the “highway bill.”

Prioritizing Safety Amidst Other Concerns

While discussions surrounding the gas tax and procedural matters may dominate headlines, critical decisions regarding the prioritization of the escalating public health crisis of car crash fatalities will be made.

Ignoring Available Remedies

Despite an estimated 38,680 highway deaths last year – a 7.2% increase from 2019 – some federal policymakers have not adequately addressed readily available solutions that could reduce both fatalities and debilitating injuries.

The Focus on Driverless Vehicles

This delay may be attributed to a belief among some in Congress that the sole solution lies in the rapid deployment of unsupervised driverless vehicles. Even with immediate approval for mass production, it would take decades for these vehicles to substantially improve overall safety.

Consumer Concerns About Autonomous Technology

A recent AAA survey revealed that 86% of respondents do not trust riding in driverless vehicles, and another study indicated consumers are uncomfortable sharing roads with them. The tech industry’s practice of public beta testing, coupled with the automotive industry’s history of delaying safety features for profit, erodes consumer confidence.

A Layered Approach to Vehicle Safety

Vehicle safety relies on a layered approach that has resulted in a five-fold decrease in car crash deaths in the U.S. over the past 50 years. Seatbelts and airbags provide protection during a crash, while electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes help prevent collisions.

Historical Precedents

Regulations establish minimum performance levels, and recalls serve as a crucial oversight mechanism to address defects. Dual braking systems, once considered revolutionary, are now standard, demonstrating the evolution of safety features.

The Risk of Rushing Driverless Technology

As automated vehicle technology promises to reshape the automotive industry, some in Congress advocate for bypassing established safety layers to accelerate the introduction of driverless vehicles. A Senate proposal suggests a fast track for manufacturers, based on the premise that their vehicles meet current minimum standards.

Lessons from the Past

It’s crucial to remember that the Ford Pinto met all minimum standards before being recalled due to its tendency to explode upon impact. Driverless vehicles should be held to a higher standard than the minimum requirements.

Building Trust Through Existing Innovations

Congress has an opportunity to foster public trust in driverless technology by mandating the immediate integration of existing innovations – the building blocks of autonomous vehicles – into current cars. These include driver monitoring systems, automated braking, and lane-keeping technology.

Immediate Benefits, Future Compatibility

These systems, when functioning correctly, can assist human drivers today, and may eventually aid computer drivers. Implementing life-saving technology now does not preclude further advancements in the future.

A Broader Discussion is Needed

As Congress debates the future of the automobile industry, discussions often center on road upgrades, electric vehicles, and driverless cars. However, insufficient attention is given to measures that could enhance safety in the near term.

Promising Legislative Proposals

Several reasonable bills have been introduced to align the U.S. with other developed nations in vehicle safety, including improvements to rear-seat passenger safety, enhanced recall procedures, and more transparent data collection, alongside the requirement of advanced safety features.

The U.S. Lags Behind Global Standards

Unfortunately, significant progress is needed. The European Union, with a comparable population, vehicle count, and land area, recorded under 19,000 crash deaths last year – less than half the U.S. total. This achievement was attained without driverless vehicles, but with robust consumer information and stringent safety regulations.

Industry Lobbying and Accountability

In the U.S., car manufacturers, concerned about competition, are lobbying for relaxed regulations and immunity from liability for automated vehicle crashes. Congress must prioritize public safety over profits and hold manufacturers accountable for their products.

Preemptive Accountability

The appropriate time to determine responsibility for accidents involving driverless vehicles or systemic defects is before they occur, not after a tragedy strikes.

Ensuring Safety for All

Historically, thoughtful regulations have been essential to ensure vehicle safety is accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy. Objective performance standards, based on data from driverless car testing, can pave the way for this future.

A Call for Action

However, Congress appears poised to remain inactive. Policymakers must recognize that the long-term success of the driverless vehicle industry and the immediate improvement of road safety are not mutually exclusive, but rather interdependent.

Leading Through Innovation and Safety

The U.S. has the potential to lead in vehicle innovation while simultaneously enhancing safety for all road users. Achieving this ambitious goal requires swift action on existing safety technology and abandoning the notion that innovation, safety, and accountability are incompatible.