FILE - A Waymo minivan is seen moving along a Chandler street in this file photo of April 7, 2021. It's accompanied by an empty driver's seat and passengers on the steering wheel. This was taken during an autonomous vehicle ride. Automakers are required to report all accidents involving partially or fully automated driver-assist systems and vehicles by the U.S. government's highway safety office. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made this Tuesday, June 29th. This is a more aggressive approach to automated vehicle safety than it has in the past. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin). ASSOCIATED PRESSUnder a new proposal from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, automakers will be required to report any accidents involving advanced automated driving assistance software.Manufacturers of vehicles with Level 2 assistance features such as forward collision warning and lane-departure warning would be subject to the new rule. This is in addition to Level 5 or fully autonomous capability, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers.This is a more assertive approach to semi-autonomous technology than the U.S. top auto safety regulator. NHTSA was largely inactive under the Trump administration. It relied on auto companies to disclose malfunctions and crashes of new technology.Local authorities have been responsible for investigating potential malfunctions in automated driving aid technologies. NHTSA, the National Transportation Safety Board, and others can send investigators to crash sites, but automakers are not required by law to provide any information.This is changing.Safety is the core mission of NHTSA. Steven Cliff, NHTSA acting administrator, stated that crash reporting will give the agency access to crucial data that can quickly identify safety problems in these automated systems. In fact, the gathering of data will increase public confidence in the federal government's oversight of the safety and operation of automated vehicles.U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that we need to be more flexible, not only using the existing authority, but also updating it.According to the following guidelines, the agency's new rule requires automakers and drivers to report any crashes that occur on public roads.If a crash involves Level 2, 3, 4, or 5 automated driver assistance features and requires a fatality or hospitalization, or involves pedestrians or bicyclists, it must be reported within one day.Companies must report every month any other crash involving a driver-assist vehicle, resulting in injury or property loss.As new information is discovered, reports must be updated.The reports must be submitted electronically by automakers using an NHTSA form.This rule will affect Tesla, but not all manufacturers.NHTSA announced earlier this month that it had opened 30 investigations into Tesla accidents since 2016. These included 10 deaths and advanced driver assistance systems. NHTSA is also investigating six other accidents involving vehicles manufactured by General Motors and Toyota, as well as Volvo Cars.The Center for Auto Safety's executive director Jason Levine stated that the agency had apparently listened to the Center for Auto Safetys long-standing request for the federal government, to exercise oversight over the unregulated technology currently being tested on America's roads. There was no warning given to residents and no data being collected.
