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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

An Overview of NHTSAs Vehicle Safety Research Priorities

Nathaniel Beuse Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety Research

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Fatalities and Fatality Rate, by Year

1950

1951

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

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1975

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1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

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1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2012

2013

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.0030,246

Fatalities Fatality Rate

32,719

1.14

Motor vehicle crashes cost nearly $836 billion

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Many Recent Advances in Safety• Standards recently just taking full effect or soon to take effect

– Upgraded Side Impact Standard– Electronic Stability Control for Light and Heavy– Improved Roof Crush Resistance– Ejection Mitigation– Improved Rear Visibility– Motorcoach Seat Belts

• Enhancements to Consumer Information– Driving improved performance without regulation– New tests, rating protocol, and new advanced

technologies

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• Help Drivers Before the Crash

Safety Opportunities

INJURY MITIGATION MEDICAL ATTENTIONSEVERITY REDUCTIONPREVENTION

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• Secretary Foxx (May 2015, Mountain View, CA):– “The Department wants to speed the nation toward an

era when vehicle safety isn’t just about surviving crashes; it’s about avoiding them;”

– “Connected, automated vehicles that can sense the environment around them and communicate with other vehicles and with infrastructure have the potential to revolutionize road safety and save thousands of lives.”

US Committed to Accelerate Safe Introduction

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Available Technologies

COMPLEMENTARY TECHNOLOGIES

Onb

oard

Cam

era

Rada

r

V2V

Self driving

AVAILABILITY

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Automatic Emergency Braking ~Level 1 Automation

• January Announcement to include in US NCAP– Include two types ~ Crash Imminent and Dynamic

Brake Support; continue pedestrian research

– Final Decision Soon• September 11 Announcement by Several

Automakers to make AEB standard equipment.

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Research on Higher Levels of Automation

Human Factors Research•Human factors evaluation of Level 2 and Level 3 automated driving concepts• Initial human factors design principles for L2/L3

Electronic Control Systems Safety (including Cybersecurity)•Functional safety of safety-critical automotive systems and extensions to L2-L4 •Cybersecurity threats, vulnerabilities, countermeasures assessment

System Performance Requirements•System performance requirements framework •Objective test procedures

Benefits Assessment•Target crash population estimation for automated vehicles L2-L4•Multi-modal benefits framework development

Testing and Evaluation•Controlled test track studies•Field operational tests

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NHTSA Decision on Vehicle to Vehicle On February 3, 2014 DOT Secretary

Anthony Foxx and NHTSA Acting Administrator Friedman announcement.− Intend to require an onboard DSRC-

based V2V communications technology

Advanced proposal published in August 2014

Request for Information on Security system followed

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking~2016

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• Unprecedented and Transformative Technology– New safety and untold mobility, and environmental features – Provides awareness of hazards not visible to the driver– Improves current systems– Supports vehicle automation– Extendable to other vehicle types, road users, and

infrastructure

• Market needs – Everyone to “speak” same language– Wide deployment– Trust

• US can lead deployment and requirements

Why Require V2V ?

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Protecting People In Crashes Still Important

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Further Improvements to Crash Safety

CIREN case Crash Test

Small Overlap•Overlap ≈ 15%•Angle ≈ 7-15 degrees•Theoretical DV = 30 mph

THOR Dummy

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Seat Belt Interlock Systems

• Effective but not being used• New Area of Work for Industry and NHTSA

– Human Factors• How will Drivers use them?

– System reliability and integrity assessment • True Interlock or other Alternatives?

– Implications for Regulations

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End Goal: A non-invasive, seamless technology to measure driver BAC and reduce the incidence of drunk driving

New Five-year, cooperative program between NHTSA and Industry intended to support a non-regulatory, market-based approach to preventing drunk driving

• Development undertaken as a step-by-step, data-driven process to ensure that effective technologies are developed

• Devices are intended to prevent alcohol-impaired drivers (BAC ≥ 0.08) from driving their vehicles

Driver Alcohol Detection System

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Safer Drivers. Safer Cars. Safer Roads.

Thanks For Your Attention