In 2017 and 2018, the House and Senate both attempted to pass legislation regarding the development and testing of autonomous vehicles (AVS). Those efforts failed to produce legislation, leaving the Department of Transportation and manufacturers to develop their own guidelines.
For 6 years Congress has failed to act… we hope things are changing! Last week, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce held a hearing on this new technology. The hearing was titled: “Self-Driving Vehicle Legislative Framework: Enhancing Safety, Improving Lives and Mobility, and Beating China.”
The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) has long advocated for motorcyclists to be included in any legislation on this topic. We’ve worked with our champions on Capitol Hill to stress how important it is for self-driving cars to have the ability to read, react and respond to motorcyclists on the road. During the hearing, House Motorcycle Caucus Co-Chair, Representative Tim Walberg made a point of mentioning what he has heard from us.
“Many in the motorcycle community are concerned that the technology is able to detect and protect motorcyclists on the road. We are very different from pedestrians and bicyclists because we are in and amongst traffic. It is a concern and I hope that we continue to address it.”
As we know, no one is looking out for bikers, except bikers. Representative Walberg is a biker, so he gets it! Let’s keep fighting, educating, and making our priorities known. If we don’t do it, who will?
In just two months, members of the MRF will establish our legislative agenda for next year, at the Meeting of the Minds in Harrisburg, PA. If you’re curious what we want in the self-driving car space, here’s what we approved at the 2022 meeting.
2023 MRF Legislative Agenda - Critical Priority:
Advocate and monitor any legislation or regulations related to motorcycles concerning connected and autonomous vehicles (AV):
- Endorse rulemaking to set new standards specific to seeing, detecting, and properly reacting to motorcycles.
- Ensure motorcycles are part of all testing and development procedures.
- Promote that any AV public user advisory committees should include a representative from the motorcycle community and a motorcycle manufacturer.
- Require a public, easily accessible, and searchable database where consumers can look up important safety information such as the limitations and capabilities of different products offered by AV manufacturers or service providers.
- Require that all AV manufacturers must submit safety evaluation reports to detail and make public how their vehicles identify motorcycles among other road users. Manufacturers must also include human error analysis in safety reports.
- Require that all AV manufacturers must publicly report crash data share incidents between AVs and motorcycles just as they would incidents between AVs and other road users.
- Protect the safety of motorcyclists with any rules or standards as it relates to electronic and cybersecurity systems including the clarification of rights of data ownership of any recorded data in the context of connected and autonomous vehicles.
- Inclusion of motorcyclists’ perspectives in discussions regarding the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS).
- Work to ensure motorcycles are a separate classification of vehicle and road user for purposes of regulation and testing of AVs.
- Protect the set aside radio spectrums necessary for DSRC vehicle to vehicle communications.
- Protect additional spectrum as needed for Vehicle to Everything technology (V2X).
If you want to be involved, come to Harrisburg September 21st to 24th and have your voice heard! Click here to register.
