What We’re Reading

June 22, 2022

• Self-driving cars crash, too, but figuring out what it means requires much better data (The Verge, June 16, 2022)

  Based on last week’s headlines following NHTSA’s data release, readers might be left with the impression that Tesla vehicles are more prone to crash than others. As this article explains, however, the data is far more nuanced and “the numbers themselves don’t tell us the whole story. In fact, they don’t really tell us much of any story at all. Not yet.”

  Distinctions in the type and amount of data provided by manufacturer, as well as missing contextual details “like the number of vehicle miles driven” limit the value of the data in drawing broad conclusions. In fact, it appears that Tesla provided more and more robust data than other manufacturers—because it can—leading to the skewed headlines.

  As NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy commented, the data release “is a good start, but it doesn’t provide an apples-to-apples comparison of advanced vehicle safety. . . . What NHTSA provided was a ‘fruit bowl’ of data with a lot of caveats, making it difficult for the public and experts alike to understand what is being reported. Independent analysis of the data is key to identifying any safety gaps and potential remedies.”

• Intersection assistance tech shows big promise for older drivers (IIHS-HLDI, June 16, 2022)

  A study published by IIHS researchers found that the use of certain existing and anticipated ADAS features would likely “deliver substantial gains” to older drivers in particular.  The researchers based their findings on a review of federal crash data from 2016-2019 related to crashes most common among older and middle-aged drivers.

  “Overall, about 60 percent of the crashes involving either age group could potentially be addressed by at least one of the safety features covered in the study.” Existing safety features considered by the researchers included AEB, lane departure prevention, and blind spot detection. Newer, upcoming safety features considered by the researchers included vehicle-to-vehicle-enhanced left turn assist and intersection movement assist.

  “Vehicle-to-vehicle-enhanced left turn assist would allow the turning vehicle to know the speed and trajectory of oncoming traffic, even if a hill or obstruction makes it difficult to see. . . . [I]intersection movement assist would allow vehicles to warn drivers of possible collisions with others approaching a crossroads from multiple directions at various speeds and with different intentions.”

  In the study paper, the researchers highlighted the practical application of their work: “With the older driver population growing, these findings underscore the need to bring intersection assistance technologies to the consumer market. At the same time, everyone stands to benefit from currently available crash avoidance features and improved headlights, so their use should be promoted among all drivers.”

• Mercedes-Benz Takes Legal Responsibility for Its Level 3 Technology (Wards Auto, June 17, 2022)

  This is a slightly different perspective on Mercedes-Benz’s announcement from that provided by Partners Mike Nelson and Stephanie Niehaus in their recent Carrier Management article.

  The authors here focus on consumer acceptance and risk, and conclude:

  “From a safety and risk perspective, the long-term outlook for automation is very positive. The biggest fear on the road for most drivers revolves around what other drivers will do. As a world-class brand with a strong reputation for prioritizing safety, Mercedes-Benz is positioned to lead this conversation.

  Automation offers the opportunity to enhance overall safety. In a perfect world, premiums will go down as the number and severity of crashes do the same. The reality, however, is that we will live in a hybrid world of human and automated vehicle operations for the foreseeable future. Collisions will happen and people will litigate who, or what is at fault.”

  We agree that a hybrid world—especially where SAE Level 2 technologies predominate, blurring the line between driver and machine operations—presents the stickiest liability issues, and a particular challenge to those tasked with assessing risk and assigning fault.