New Government-Mandated Safety Checklist for Self-Driving Vehicles

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.

Manufacturers of self-driving vehicles are hard-pressed to establish a path for the “safe testing and deployment” of these vehicles, and in September the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a new federal policy for auto manufacturers to do so. “This policy is an unprecedented step by the federal government to harness the benefits of transformative technology by providing a framework for how to do it safely,” says the Department Secretary.

The policy includes a fifteen-point safety checklist for the development and deployment of automated vehicles, in no particular order:

Digital security – Ensuring that self-driving vehicles have safeguards to prevent against online “hacks” and similar attacks.
Data sharing – The storing of data for these vehicles by their manufacturers and sharing this data with regulators.
Consumer privacy – Allowing car owners to understand what types of data are being stored and/or shared.
System safety – Ensuring that self-driving vehicles can respond safely to lost traction, software malfunctions, near-crashes, and similar risks.
Certification – All new driverless features and software updates must be submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Consumer education – Manufacturers must train their sales representatives and similar staff regarding how autopilot functions so they, in turn, can educate car dealers/distributors.
Crashworthiness – All automated vehicles must meet the NHTSA’s “crashworthiness” standards and guidelines.
Human-machine interface – Ensuring that manufacturers can demonstrate that these vehicles can safely switch between human control and autopilot.
Post-accident behavior – Manufacturers must demonstrate that their vehicles can be safely used again after an accident.
Laws and practices – Automated vehicles must follow all state and local laws which apply to normal drivers.
Operational design – Automated vehicles should be equipped with “manuals” which describe the conditions in which the autopilot system works.
Detection and response – Manufacturers must demonstrate that self-driving vehicles respond appropriately to normal situations, such as obeying traffic signals and changing lanes.
Fallback – Self-driving vehicles should be able to safely switch from autopilot to human control when a technological malfunction arises.
Ethical concerns – There are ethical decisions which must be made in the split-second before a potential accident occurs, and we have yet to understand how self-driving vehicles may address these concerns or be programmed to do so.
Validation – Manufacturers must develop testing/validation methods for self-driving vehicles, such as simulations, test tracks, and on-road tests.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident due to negligence, contact 844 See Mike, LLC for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury in an accident. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.

Lastly, 844 See Mike is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.

New Government-Mandated Safety Checklist for Self-Driving Vehicles

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