The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released new research identifying the positive and negative impacts associated with numerous government policies, programs and regulations that target autonomous truck development and testing. ATRI’s study proposes a framework by which autonomous truck standards could be developed.
The report documents the dozens of local, state and federal activities that guide and regulate autonomous truck activities. While most attempt to create a framework for the safe testing of autonomous trucks, myriad state and local activities ultimately impede the creation of a seamless and standardized autonomous truck (AT) network, ATRI states.
“The potential safety and economic benefits for adopting autonomous vehicles and cooperative operation technologies in the trucking industry are substantial. However, federal and state policymakers have struggled to keep pace with the development of these technologies. As a result, a fragmented and incomplete ecosystem for developing, testing and deploying these technologies has emerged,” the report states.
“This research has identified the strengths and weaknesses of the policies implemented or proposed by states, as well as the unaddressed policy questions that are likely to delay the adoption of these transformative technologies in the trucking industry,” according to the report. “While states have the right to implement policy to ensure the safety of the roadways under their jurisdiction, it is incumbent upon federal and state policymakers to avoid implementing policies that needlessly delay testing or deployment of technologies that improve roadway safety.”
Jeff Reed, Skyline Transportation president and chair of the ATA Automated Truck Subcommittee, says, “The pace of technology development in the autonomous truck sphere is moving at lightning speed. Our industry needs states to collaborate on seamless policies and regulations and we need more proactive federal guidance on AT development. Government activities at all levels must be dynamic enough to address the constantly evolving technology landscape.”
ATRI says the study was identified as the top research priority for the industry by its Research Advisory Committee in 2018.
CLICK HERE to obtain a copy of the report.
