Republicans on the U.S. House committee signaled this month that establishing a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles would accelerate their integration in our national transport system, ushering in a new era of transportation.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), key proponent of the House Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee, highlighted potential advantages from widespread adoption of technological advancements in modern society.
“For something like autonomous vehicles, that will help senior citizens and Americans living with disabilities, it means reducing barriers to testing, and setting the standards for how they will be adopted across the world, and provide certainty for businesses and consumers,” the congressman said at a hearing earlier this month.
“America’s global leadership depends on its people to be best in class, and we must give them the regulatory certainty on emerging technologies they need in order to live up to their legacy,” he added.
Republican Congress members are embracing a new technological frontier, announcing their intent to explore the regulation of self-driving cars as part of broader efforts to uphold America’s technological edge against China.
“It’s important that we also take action to ensure the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), chairwoman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. “The regulatory framework for [autonomous vehicles] must be led by the U.S.,” the chairwoman continued, “to win the future, the U.S. must lead on AVs. We must chart the path so the road is one we design.”
Last year, a bipartisan coalition in Congress set its sights on paving the way for self-driving cars with the launch of the Congressional Autonomous Vehicle Caucus. However, despite their intent to put together legislation that would provide guidance to agencies and industries working towards autonomous vehicles’ deployment, no such bill has yet made it to the president’s desk.
As the autonomous vehicle industry continues to grow, stakeholders and enthusiasts are urging Congress to pass regulations that will ensure America’s leading role in this technological evolution. At a recent Energy and Commerce meeting Jeff Farrah, executive director of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association declared how enacting legislation would “maintain and strengthen American leadership in the AV industry.”
The freight industry is poised to experience a significant shift with the emergence of autonomous trucking. Farrah discussed its potential benefits – from streamlining supply chain operations and bolstering workforce numbers, to improving safety standards. He emphasized that AV trucking is “positioned to substantially decrease the cost of goods while fundamentally improving interstate commerce by changing the manner and speed in which goods move in our country, all while making roads safer for everyone.”
“Given the timeline for AV truck deployment, autonomous trucking is not likely to cause significant displacement of jobs in the trucking industry, but it can serve as one tool to reduce strains on the supply chain caused, in part, by the longstanding truck driver shortage,” he added.
The trucking industry has seen a marginal decrease in the driver shortage, according to data released by American Trucking Associations. The new figures reveal a workforce deficit of 78,000 drivers; however, there is still more work ahead to bridge this gap and keep supply chains rolling across America.
The Biden Administration is taking action to address safety risks across America’s transportation networks. The U.S. Department of Transportation has embarked on a National Roadway Safety Strategy, calling upon stakeholders nationwide to do their part in reducing the number of serious injuries and fatalities occurring along our nation’s roads.
“Traffic crashes cost tens of thousands of American lives a year — a national crisis on our roadways — and everyone has an important role to play in addressing it,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Feb. 3. “Today we are issuing a national call to action and asking all Americans—including private industry, nonprofit and advocacy organizations, and every level of government — to join us in acting to save lives on our roadways.”
The American Trucking Associations has joined forces with the United States Department of Transportation to prioritize roadway safety. The organization is participating in USDOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, which involves collaboration between government agencies and other stakeholders to reduce traffic-related fatalities across the nation.
“Through our Share the Road program, our Law Enforcement Advisory Board and our ongoing work zone safety awareness campaign, ATA is committing to educate the public about the importance of safely sharing the road with large trucks, practicing safety in construction zones and enhancing the partnership between the trucking industry and law enforcement to address highway safety issues,” said Dan Horvath, ATA vice president of safety policy.
Similarly, companies, such as INRIX Mobility Analytics and General Motors, have joined forces to offer a comprehensive “Safety View” application that promises roadways free of fatality. The cloud-based service is part of their commitment towards Vision Zero initiatives aimed at eliminating any traffic tragedies in the future.
“Now more than ever is the time to invest in and utilize data to better inform the future of our roadway networks and to understand how things may vary based on demographics and at the community level,” Bryan Mistele, co-founder and CEO of INRIX, said in August.
Source: ttnews
