autonomous vehicles

AV Legislation Returns to House, While Some Supporters Say Reconsideration Unlikely

January 7, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill that would allow car manufacturing companies to distribute up to 100,000 self-driving vehicles. The legislation, called the SELF DRIVE Act, has received little-to-no attention over the last few years. It was passed unanimously in 2017 by the House, but failed within the Senate. Democrats and trial lawyers both worried about potential lawsuits that could arise if someone is injured or killed in an autonomous vehicle.

The measure would give the Secretary of Transportation the ability to make federal motor vehicle rule exemptions regarding a car’s need to have a human operator on board. 25,000 cars per carmaker could be operated initially if a company can show it meets traditional vehicle safety standards.

Following a period of one year, a manufacturer’s exemptions would rise to 50,000 and then to 100,000 in the two following years. States would not be able to limit sales more than the federal statute with any new laws. Right now, a car manufacturer can produce 2,500 self-driving vehicles for testing.

Ohio Representative Bob Latta believes the self-driving measure should resurface in Congress after the House’s major backing in 2017.

“This is a very good bill,” Latta said. “Not only for safety–we had over 37,000 people killed in traffic accidents–but also for the bipartisan work that was done.”

However, Michigan Representative Debbie Dingell said she won’t support the revisited measure, although she was a proponent of the 2017 version, because she doesn’t believe it will reach proper reconsideration in committee or within Congress before the end of the term.

“The Congress should have considered autonomous vehicle legislation, but for a variety of reasons, that has not occurred,” she explained.

Latta’s “desire to see action by our colleagues” is respectable, Dingell said, and agrees that immediate action on the matter of AV is necessary. She also expects 2021 to include many bipartisan discussions on self-driving legislation, and that she has already received Democratic leader commitment to making the issue a priority if the democrats continue their control of the House.

Bringing back the legislation was a “cynical” move for lawmakers who have seemed nonchalant in regards to AV regulation, said Center for Auto Safety executive director, Jason Levine.

“As a reminder, this bill contains no regulatory or testing requirements to improve public confidence in the long-term safety of driverless vehicles,” he said. “Instead, the SELF DRIVE Act protects auto manufacturers and technology companies from legal responsibility when their unregulated products put consumers at risk.”

This news comes shortly after major trucking company Daimler Trucks purchased a majority share in Torc Robotics in efforts to work toward Level 4 autonomous truck development. The companies see the path to AV trucking as a marathon rather than a sprint, and believe they can bring automated trucks to mainstream transportation by 2030.

SAE Level 4 is the name for a truck’s ability to operate without driver assistance or input during certain conditions or in specific areas.

The companies have also been urging Tier 2 suppliers for additional safety tech, and announced that Daimler’s Autonomous Technology Group would build headquarters in Albuquerque. The center will boost testing capabilities and data collection for the use of innovative vehicle technology on public roads.

Torc Robotics CEO Michael Fleming noted that there are still many obstacles ahead, and that safety-focused technology is not quite ready for commercial deployment.

“We have been engaging Tier 1 suppliers with new requirements, trying to push the envelope on radar, lidar, and cameras, and also compute systems at the same time,” he explained. “At the end of the day, when we bring product to market, it has to be cost-effective, meet the performance specifications to address not only safety, but ensuring we can drive efficiently to the destination and deliver goods in a timely fashion…There isn’t, in my opinion, automated vehicle hardware commercially available that meets all three today.”

Still, collaboration is key to pushing new methods of safety technology forward, Fleming said.

“Daimler’s commitment to safety, innovation leadership of truck technology, and foundational knowledge of on-road scenarios that truckers encounter has moved our system faster than we could have done alone as a technology firm.”

Automated Truck Corridor Funded Thanks to Indiana and Ohio DOT Efforts

August 24, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

A federal grant of $4.4 million has been given to a team including the departments of transportation from Indiana and Ohio for their efforts in building an automated truck corridor along Interstate 70, which runs between Indianapolis and Columbus.

This award is one of 10 given by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration through its Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment program, and will be part of $45 million in state-matching funds.

This particular project is meant to bring easier routes to truck automation vendors and freight companies to deploy their automated vehicle technology in regular revenue service across the interstate.

“Ohio’s I-70 Truck Automation Corridor project represents a model for other states in promoting technologies that will make freight transport and America’s economy more efficient,” said Nicole Nason, FHWA Administrator.

The ATCMTD grant program will fund beginning technology developments that aim to bring overall improvement to large transportation systems.

“As self-driving technology matures, it is important that everyone has a seat at the table,” said DriveOhio interim executive director, Patrick Smith. DriveOhio is a state government group helping to coordinate this project. “With the coalition of public, private, and research institutions that we have built, we’re confident this project will provide valuable insights to [the U.S. Department of Transportation] and [to the] industry as we develop smart logistics policies, procedures, and technology standards that will be shared across the nation.”

DriveOhio has also been urging Plus.ai, a self-driving truck company, to expand its in-state testing after previously conducting AV testing in Ohio.

“Connected and autonomous driving technology is revolutionizing how we move people and products across our country,” said Joe McGuinness, INDOT Commissioner. “Indiana and Ohio are proud to partner with U.S. DOT to lead in the deployment of technology in a multi-state highway corridor that will guide the future of automated driving and freight movement.”

DriveOhio’s managing director of communications, Luke Stedke, said the corridor project will have three different deployments: truck platooning, SAE Level 2, and SAE Level 4. This tiered approach will take place over a four-year span, with driving automation categorized on a scale between levels 0 and 5. Level 5 will mean the vehicle has reached complete driving automation capability.

“We want to make sure that it’s safe, but we also want to make sure that we’re trying to move the ball forward and mature the technology,” said Stedke.

In addition to DriveOhio, the project team also includes the Transportation Research Center, an independent facility out of Easy Liberty, Ohio that conducts research and progresses vehicle development and testing. TRC will provide professional driver training for host fleets as well as an automation audit of the corridor, according to DriveOhio.

“During public road testing, a professional driver will be at the wheel always should human intervention be needed,” DriveOhio explained. “The project data gathered will be shared with USDOT to inform the development of policies and procedures to be scaled across the United States.”

According to Stedke, the purpose of the automation audit will be to assess striping and pavement conditions in order to find what areas of I-70 need immediate improvements.

INDOT also says both Indiana and Ohio are vital for freight operations. Both states are within a day’s drive of 60% of American and Canadian populations.

Stedke also said this project will help everyone involved to get the word out about automated technology on a mass scale.

“It’s a chance for us as DriveOhio and the Ohio Department of Transportation to start the conversation about what the public should expect when it comes to freight,” said Stedke. “Both for the states of Ohio and Indiana, freight is a big driver of our economic activity. We want to make sure that we’re being clear when we articulate with citizens of Ohio and Indiana what to expect.”

From the grant’s funding, Florida was the largest recipient, receiving $10 million for its Regional Advanced Mobility Elements project on Interstate 4. The project, nicknamed I-4 FRAME, will utilize “next-generation” traffic management and vehicle-to-infrastructure tech, so that drivers can receive real-time traffic, intersection signal timing, and weather-related messages.

“The program selections this year aim to benefit communities across the country by improving safety and efficiency on our roads through the deployment of advanced technologies,” said FHWA’s Nason.

A First Look into Kodiak Robotics’ Self-Driving Longhaul Trucks

August 16, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Kodiak Robotics, a self-driving truck company based out of San Francisco, has finally detailed its recent approach to the challenge of giving long-haul trucks self-driving technology after its 350th commercial delivery.

The company has released a 49-page safety self-assessment report demonstrating its commitment to public safety. The report gives a detailed explanation of how the startup operates and programs its autonomous vehicle technology.

“We believe it’s critical that we begin the process of explaining to the general public not just how we are safely testing our vehicles, but how we’re going to prove, mathematically and in plain English, that our vehicles are comprehensively safe even without a person behind the wheel,” said Kodiak co-founders Paz Eshel and Don Burnette.

This candid self-assessment aims to soothe any skepticism among the public and build trust and rapport with other motorists on the road.

“Given our progress, we think it’s time for Kodiak to start talking more about our unique, truck-focused technology,” said Burnette, who has previously worked for companies such as Otto, Uber, and Google.

Kodiak uses computer simulation and test track runs to examine and analyze its technology. The company was founded in April of 2018, had its first on-road test the following March, and made its very first delivery in July of 2019. Now, it has a fleet of 10 trucks hauling commercial freight throughout the state of Texas. Kodiak is also one of only a few trucking startups working to bring automation technology to long-haul trucking.

The startup’s technology often mimics how human drivers operate vehicles, such as within its ability to use lane markings as visual cues, rather than built-in map programming. This system within the “Kodiak Driver” allows for the vehicle to respond to and avoid unexpected obstacles on the road, like construction projects, even when the program’s maps don’t show them.

This ability is referred to as “perception over priors–i.e., that the Kodiak Driver trusts its eyes, not its memory, and we believe it represents a significant step forward for the AV industry,” said the company.

In its safety assessment, the Kodiak team shares its reasoning for focusing heavily on “structure highway driving” rather than city driving, as well as how its specifically-designed systems benefit heavy-duty trucks.

“We optimize our driving for safety, not comfort: paper towels don’t care if they get jostled a bit, whereas a rideshare passenger expects a smooth ride,” said the company.

In 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released “Voluntary Guidance–Automated Driving Systems 2.0: A Vision for Safety,” which included a suggestion for any companies aligned with automated driving systems to provide a public assessment of their approaches to safety.

Since this recommendation, nearly two dozen companies have submitted these assessments, including other automated commercial vehicle competitors of Kodiak, like Waymo, TuSimple, and Starsky Robotics–although Starsky has since gone out of business.

“At Kodiak, we are strategic about every mile we drive,” said the company in its report. “We never drive our trucks for the sake of just logging more miles. Of course, this disciplined approach means we will probably never log as many test miles as some of our competitors. We see our lower mileage count not as a risk, but as a sign of our commitment to safety.”

Also present in Kodiak’s report was its explanation of its commercial-grade steering column “designed specifically for trucks,” which will eventually expand into dual-redundant electric motors that will allow the automated system to stay easily controlled if one motor fails. The system’s sensors also have “overlapping fields of view, so that every region around the truck is seen by multiple sensors,” which will allow the Kodiak Driver to always know the details of its surroundings, even if a sensor might fail. The AV technology will actuate the vehicle on “redundant, fault-tolerant computers,” that will run independently from the main computer. “These computers always know how to bring the truck to a safe stop, so that if the main computer should ever fail, they can safely achieve a Minimal Risk Condition,” the report stated.

Still, deploying a fleet of self-driving trucks without a safety driver on board is not likely to happen within the next year, Burnette explained.

“The fact is, once people get used to them, self-driving trucks will actually be pretty boring,” he said. “They’ll largely stay in the right lane, they’ll never weave in and out of traffic, and they’ll never speed.”

Supporters of automated vehicles within the commercial truck industry say these trucks will be much safer than human drivers, who often run red lights, text, fall asleep at the wheel, or otherwise become dangerously distracted while on the road.

“Our mission is to build the world’s most efficient, reliable, and respected freight carrier, using our autonomous technology,” explained Burnette. “Operating as a carrier will allow us to design our technology to meet shippers’ needs, and ultimately allow us to build a better product.”

Autonomous Vehicles May Not be the Answer to Safer Roads

August 13, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Autonomous vehicles have widely been speculated as becoming an industry changer in regards to safety, as driver mistakes account for almost all deadly crashes. However, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, only a third of all crashes could potentially be avoided if automated systems operate too similarly to human drivers.

Although autonomous vehicles will, at some point, be able to spot hazards and obstacles and react to safely avoid them much faster than humans, and they won’t operate with any distractions, stopping crashes altogether is still a huge challenge.

“We’re still going to see some issues even if autonomous vehicles might react more quickly than humans do,” said vice president of research for the institute and co-author of the study, Jessica Cicchino. “They’re not going to always be able to react instantaneously.”

Because of this, the Institute’s study found that although driver error is the ruling factor in 9 out of 10 crashes, only a third of those were due to mistakes that automated vehicles could avoid due to their superior perception abilities. To avoid the remaining two-thirds of crashes, automated vehicles would need programming to specifically prioritize safety over everything else–including speed.

“Building self-driving cars that drive as well as people do is a big challenge in itself,” said lead author of the study and research scientist for IIHS, Alexandra Mueller. “But, they’d actually need to be better than that to deliver on the promises we’ve all heard.”

The institution studied over 5,000 crashes caused by “sensing and perceiving” errors like driver distraction, failing to spot hazards in time, or impaired visibility, as found by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Crashes were also distinguished by “incapacitation,” such as drivers being impaired by drugs or alcohol, medical problems, or severe fatigue. The study found that autonomous vehicles can prevent these issues.

“It’s likely that fully self-driving cars will eventually identify hazards better than people, but we found that this alone would not prevent the bulk of crashes,” Cicchino explained.

Some of these unavoidable challenges for current self-driving technology include planning errors, like driving too fast for certain road conditions; execution errors, like unsafe evasive maneuvers; or misjudging another vehicle’s speed.

Error-free, 360 degree perception by these vehicles is key, Cicchino said. She referenced one example: if a cyclist or other vehicle suddenly enters an autonomous vehicle’s path, the self-driving car could likely not stop or steer away fast enough.

“Autonomous vehicles need to not only perceive the world around them perfectly, they need to respond to what’s around them as well,” Cicchino said.

In the study, crashes as a result of sensing and perceiving errors made up 24% of all accidents, and incapacitation made for 10%. These particular crashes are thought to have been potentially avoided if all on-road vehicles were self-driving. However, these autonomous vehicles would need to have zero malfunctions, and the remaining crashes could still take place unless these vehicles were able to specifically avoid other decision-making errors.

Duke University robotics and human factors professor, Missy Cummings, gave her thoughts on the study. She explained that technology is not likely to prevent even one-third of crashes caused by human error right now, as self-driving vehicles with radar, laser, and camera sensors still often cannot perform perfectly in any situation.

“There is a probability that even when all three sensor systems come to bear, that obstacles can be missed,” she said. “No driverless car company has been able to do that reliably. They know that, too.”

Cummings also explained that those working in the business of self-driving vehicles did not plan for any technology to prevent all human-caused crashes. That belief, she said, would be “layman’s conventional wisdom that somehow this technology is going to be a panacea that is going to prevent all death.”

Researchers from IIHS who studied crash causes made the ultimate decisions about which ones could be prevented altogether with only autonomous vehicles on the road, according to Cicchino. When self-driving vehicles share the road with human drivers, even fewer crashes will be able to be prevented.

“Our analysis shows that it will be crucial for designers to prioritize safety over rider preferences if autonomous vehicles are to live up to their promise to be safer than human drivers,” said Mueller.

Musk Fights to Keep Tesla Operations Open as Shelter-in-Place Orders are Given

May 5, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Tesla must shut down its global operations epicenter–the famous Fremont factory–due to growing coronavirus concerns, despite Elon Musk’s call to keep business running as usual.

The electric car manufacturer had just released its millionth electric car off the assembly line when the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department deemed the factory not “essential,” and the plant’s employees were told they must adhere to the shelter-in-place mandate that was given on March 17th.

The Fremont Police Department and the Alameda County Public Health Department are responsible for enforcing this order at the plant. This demand will send 10,000 of the Fremont factory’s workers home.

“Tesla can maintain minimum basic operations per the Alameda County Health Order,” said the sheriff’s department.

The mandate’s effect on the factory came one day after Elon Musk severely downplayed the virus and its impact. Musk has been working to keep operations underway in any way possible.

“I’d like to be super clear that if you feel the slightest bit ill or even uncomfortable, please do not feel obligated to come to work,” said Musk in a staff email on March 16th. “I will personally be at work, but that’s just me.”

Musk planned to keep Tesla Inc’s factory and its other operations throughout California open for as long as he could, and the company’s head of human resources explained that Tesla’s manufacturing and energy infrastructure were considered crucial. Both said the factory would continue operations despite the stay-at-home order throughout the Bay Area.

“Tesla and our supplier network will continue operations that directly support factory production, vehicle deliveries, and service,” wrote the company’s North American HR chief, Valerie Capers Workman.

Musk even went so far as to Tweet in early March that “the coronavirus panic is dumb.” The company had, up until that point, said little about how it planned to handle concerns surrounding the virus, although other automakers throughout the country had made much quicker public decisions.

“My frank opinion remains that the harm from the coronavirus panic far exceeds that of the virus itself,” said Musk in his email. “If there is a massive redirection of medical resources out of proportion to the danger, it will result in less available care to those with critical medical needs, which does not serve the greater good.”

From this standpoint, plant manager Justin Kirkland also wrote to employees on March 16th, saying that they should report to work unless otherwise directed from the company. In another email, employees were told that they would need to use their vacation days if they decided to follow the shelter in place order, and, if they were to run out of those days, they would need to contact human resources.

Only businesses deemed essential are supposed to remain operating, such as grocery stores and pharmacies. However, there is currently no exemption for car manufacturers in regards to the orders that were issued on March 16th, and which took full effect after midnight the following day.

“Tesla can maintain minimum basic operations per the Alameda County Health Order,” said the sheriff’s department in a Tweet.

Businesses deemed nonessential–like Tesla–are still able to continue the “minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the business’ inventory, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or for related functions,” as well as the “minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees of the business being able to continue to work remotely from their residences.”

The order also states that social distancing, or the maintenance of a six-foot separation between individuals at all times–must also take place.

Tesla has not yet released its expected production and delivery numbers for the first quarter. In January, the company stated that its deliveries would most likely “comfortably” exceed 500,000 units for 2020. RBC Capital Markets analysts are now saying that they expect the company to deliver only around 365,000 cars, which would be a decrease from its 2019 total deliveries.

Additionally, Tesla shares fell 7.8% as of March 17th in New York, which eradicated their intraday trading gains for 2020. As of February 19th, Tesla stock was up 119% for the year.

Regardless, Musk continues to reiterate that his main concern is for the lack of medical supplies and care that could come from an unnecessary amount of panic around COVID-19.

“If we over-allocate medical resources to (the) corona(virus),” he Tweeted, “it will come at (the) expense of treating other illnesses.”

AV 4.0 Relies on Public and Stakeholder Opinions

May 5, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation officials are partnering with trucking industry stakeholders to develop the latest autonomous vehicles guidelines.

The DOT, along with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, has been calling for public comments on the most recent federal guideline update regarding autonomous vehicle technology–AV 4.0.

Last month, the Federal Register published the DOT’s comment request after Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao first announced the initiative, officially titled “Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies” at CES 2020.

Public comments are due before April 2nd, and this summer will see further stakeholder work sessions to delve deeper into the future guidelines before they are finally published later in 2020.

“The U.S. DOT and OSTP see AV 4.0 as a method to ensure a consistent [U.S. government] approach to AV technologies and to ensure that the United States continues to lead AV technologies’ research, development, and integration,” said the Federal Register.

AV 4.0 aims to be a set of unifying principles throughout 38 different federal departments and agencies which gives state and local governments, industry representatives, and tech experts guidance regarding the operation of automated vehicles. The guidelines were originally built around government opportunities for collaboration, and AV tech growth boosting through administration efforts.

The initiative’s main aspiration was to prioritize safety, innovation, and consistent regulatory methods.

“While keeping safety as the approach–the priority for all of our engagements–we’ve been able to move this throughout the federal government so that all of the tools, assets, research, and grant-making dollars that are available, and enforcement authorities that are available throughout the federal government, can be at the hands of all our stakeholders that care about this,” said DOT deputy assistant secretary Finch Fulton.

According to Fulton, the upcoming national highway policy updates are an important way in which this technology can demonstrate its safety benefits throughout U.S. transit networks.

“Developments such as automated vehicles, drones, hyperloop, commercial space, and data initiatives can dramatically change the way people and goods are moved about the country and world,” Fulton explained. “Many of these technologies challenge the department in new or more sophisticated ways on methods to both prove and improve levels of safety, or in determining what mechanisms are best suited in the department for providing oversight.”

A main determining factor around AV regulation will be public opinion, according to Elaine Chao, Transportation Secretary.

“The real challenge is, as regulators, how do we address, how do we engage with emerging new technologies to address legitimate public concerns about safety, security, and privacy without hampering innovation? Because innovation is a trademark of who we are as Americans. That is our greatest export,” she said in February.

Currently, guidelines align with AV technology support initiatives and collaboration efforts by the Trump administration, including AV sector federal investments and research resources.

Back in January, Chao also announced the DOT’s standardized list of recommended ADAS terminology named “Clearing the Confusion” in collaboration with the National Safety Council, Consumer Reports, AAA, and J.D. Power–an initiative aiming to advance driver assistance systems.

“Currently, there is variance among manufacturers,” said Chao. “We want to make sure that drivers are aware that these systems are designed to ‘assist,’ not replace an engaged driver, which is still very important.”

Chao also explained her confidence behind AV tech’s potential to save thousands of lives, as 94% of crashes are a result of human error. She also noted that the tech could be particularly beneficial for those with transportation challenges needing more mobility options.

Still, congressional policymakers have not yet progressed on any autonomous tech legislation. According to Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), new automated vehicle legislation directives were not likely to involve any provisions relative to trucks and buses. Additionally, the latest autonomous vehicle bill not to pass the Senate was related to vehicle regulations.

DOT’s DAS terminology list was announced two days after the American Transportation Research Institute demanded an autonomous vehicle technology policy for the trucking industry.

“Given that we intend for the policy document to be a living document and to be developed in an iterative fashion, subsequent opportunities to comment will also be provided periodically,” said the Federal Register.