The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its initial crash data on automated, driverless vehicles, which is aimed at improving roadway safety and encouraging innovation, NHTSA's administrator said.
The NHTSA announced its 35-page initial round of crash data collected through its year-old standing general order, along with initial accompanying reports that summarized the data, in a news release issued June 15.
"The data released today are part of our commitment to transparency, accountability and public safety," NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff said in the news release. "New vehicle technologies have the potential to help prevent crashes, reduce crash severity and save lives, and the department is interested in fostering technologies that are proven to do so."
The initial data collection release "is an important step in that effort," Cliff said.
"As we gather more data, NHTSA will be able to better identify any emerging risks or trends and learn more about how these technologies are performing in the real world," he said.
Cliff was confirmed as the nation's 16th NHTSA administrator earlier this month.
The first data findings were collected from vehicles using Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) levels of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. NHTSA also issued summary reports for SAE Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems and SAE Levels 3-5 automated driving systems.
Among other things, the data revealed 98 crashes in vehicles with full self-driving, with 11 of the crashes involving serious injury or fatality.
The data, culled from crashes that operators and automakers reported after the standing general order was issued in June of last year, is not comprehensive but reveals information about crashes with various levels of automated systems deployed at least 30 seconds prior to a crash. The findings are intended as an important first step to better understand how Advanced Driver Assistance Systems operate in the event of a crash, how driver habits relate to the emerging and what vehicle safety software flaws can be addressed.
"Going forward, NHTSA will release data updates monthly," the news release said.
NHTSA is also compiling a larger dataset of new roadway technologies crashes to introduce more technology while doing all possible to ensure driver and passenger safety.
While last week's data release was a first, NHTSA has been studying autonomous vehicles for quite some time. In September 2017, the administration issued a 36-page report on automated driving systems that released voluntary guidance on automated driving systems based on public comments released under the Federal Automated Vehicles Policy the previous year.
