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1 1 (September 14, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/goveemu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional ~ Research Service inf arming the legisIative debate since 1914____________________ Automated Vehicles: Safety Implications of Computers on Wheels September 14, 2021 On August 13, 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced an investigation of crashes involving Autopilot systems in Tesla electric vehicles. The investigation shows that technologies that seek to automate tasks traditionally performed by drivers are becoming an increasing part of NHTSA's safety oversight. Traditional vehicles powered by gasoline and diesel engines with human drivers have been regulated by NHTSA for over 50 years. During that time, many types of vehicle defects have been addressed and millions of vehicles have been recalled for safety-related modifications at the manufacturers' expense. In 2020 alone, nearly 900 recalls of vehicles and parts were issued, affecting nearly 55 million vehicles. Because of the widespread use of computers, sensors, and other automated technologies in vehicles, cars are increasingly referred to as computers on wheels. The current shortage of semiconductors highlights the dependence of motor vehicles on electronics, which are used in a wide variety of applications, including airbags, emission sensors, engines, and media displays. By forcing vehicle and parts manufacturers to scale back production, the semiconductor shortage has reduced the availability of cars in dealers' lots and driven up prices: the average new vehicle transaction price is nearly $42,000-a $6,000 increase from August 2020 prices for comparable vehicles. In light of the computerization of motor vehicles, NHTSA will increasingly be faced with the need to evaluate the safety impact of electronics-based technologies. The recently announced Tesla investigation is to evaluate its Autopilot-an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that is thought to have been involved in 11 crashes in nine states. Seventeen injuries and one death resulted from these incidents. The inquiry could ultimately affect more than 700,000 Tesla electric vehicles, including Models 3, S, X, and Y. Autopilot is Tesla's name for a technology that maintains a vehicle's speed through cruise control, ensures lane centering, and enables self-parking, along with other features. Other automakers have similar systems. Despite the name Tesla has applied to its ADAS, its vehicles do not operate autonomously; they must still be monitored and ultimately controlled by the driver, who must intervene when necessary to identify obstacles in the road ahead or change the drive path based on actions taken by nearby vehicles. It appears, however, that some Tesla drivers believe their vehicles can drive themselves with little or no human involvement. NHTSA's preliminary investigation is to assess the technologies and methods used Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11749 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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