DOT Announces Advisory Committee for Autonomous Vehicle Policy
Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx has announced plans to establish an Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation to help frame federal policy on the development and deployment of automated transportation.
The Committee will assess DOT’s current research, policy, and regulatory support to develop a strategy for safe and effective use of autonomous vehicles on public roads.
After analyzing available information, ACAT will present recommendations to the Secretary on automated and connected road and transit vehicle technologies, enhanced freight movement technologies, railroad automated technologies, aviation automated navigation systems technologies, unmanned aircraft systems, and advanced technology deployment in surface transportation environments.
ACAT will also focus on emerging and not-yet-conceived innovations to ensure that DOT is prepared for any unexpected and emergent developments in the autonomous vehicle space.
“This committee will help determine how, when, and where automated technology will transform the way we move,” said Foxx. “The Department has advanced some of the life-saving benefits of automated technologies, including automated vehicle policy, but we are looking outside the government for innovative and thoughtful leaders to uncover its full potential across all modes.”
DOT is currently seeking 15 individuals to sit on the Committee, looking for people with in-depth, cross-industry experience and perspective related to advanced autonomous vehicle technology and innovation. ACAT members will serve 2-year terms and will be nominated through an open process published in the Federal Register.
In September, DOT released the first federal guidelines for the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles, outlining a safety assessment process and setting the groundwork for a comprehensive set of safety standards at the state and federal level.
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