Florida Will Allow Autonomous Test Cars to Operate Without a Human Backup Driver
The Sunshine State will become home to the nation's least stringent autonomous car legislation come July 1. Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation into law last Thursday that does not require a self-driving test car to have a human driver present.
The law is one of the more controversial aspects to self-driving car tests. Most states require a human backup driver behind the wheel to take over controls from the autonomous car should things go wrong.
There's an important caveat, though: the law is only for self-driving vehicles that are "equipped with an automated driving system designed to function without a human operator." That describes Level 4 and 5 self-driving vehicles, which do not yet exist outside of various test programs.
Read the article at Car and Driver.
Keeping Our ‘Thoughts and Eyes’ on Safety
Driving Dynamics’ most recent Safety & Risk column focuses on the necessity for drivers to be trained on the proper function of ADAS technologies. This week, we learn more about the driver confusion surrounding these high-tech systems from a new study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. IIHS called out Tesla Autopilot, saying the name “signals to drivers that they can turn their thoughts and their eyes elsewhere.”
Many fleets check their drivers’ motor vehicle records once a year -- and some not at all -- but a strong case for continuous MVR monitoring is made in this thoughtful article from SuperVision: Continuous MVR Monitoring: Overcoming the ‘Good Enough’ Objection.
In Four Factors Forcing Fleet Managers to Rethink Their European Car Policies, Thibault Alleyn, global consulting director at FleetVision, offers an in-depth look at the external factors heralding unprecedented levels of change.
Catch the latest news every day at our dynamic website: FleetManagementWeekly.com
Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief
New Legislation Could Prevent Keyless Cars From Killing
Since 2005, 37 people have died by carbon monoxide poisoning, because they unknowingly left their keyless vehicles running in their attached garage.
A proposed law dubbed the PARK IT Act (Protecting Americans from the Risk of Keyless Technology) would leave no room for error and is a sensible step to stopping future death or injury.
The law would mandate that automakers install automatic engine shutoffs — along with software that would make a car immobile if a driver left it in gear.
Read the article at Detroit Free Press.
NETS Strength in Numbers® Annual Conference
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October 9-10, 2019 Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel, Arlington, Virginia
Keynote Speakers
- Honorable Bruce Landsberg, Vice Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
NTSB's "Most Wanted List" -- Road Safety Challenges and Future Solutions - Sergio Rojas, Holistic Health Coach, Functional Movement Specialist and Certified Nutrition Specialist
Integrating Wellness Initiatives Into Your Employee Road Safety Program, Including Real World Cost Implications - David L. Harkey, President Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute
Vehicle Technology in an Ever-changing Fleet World, Including the Latest OEM Technology Advances - Faye Caldwell, Attorney at Law, Caldwell Everson PLLC
Employer Cannabis Legalization and Policy Development: A Best Practice Employer Road Map
Webinar: Using Data-Driven Fleet Technology to Combat Excessive Fuel Spend
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