i3 - July/August 2019 - 34

Policy

By Jamie Boone

Transportation Tech
Enhances Safety

TA is a leading advocate for innovation in transportation, particularly in self-driving vehicles. The lifesaving
and life-changing potential of self-driving vehicles is
enormous and exciting. According to the National Traffic Safety
Administration, more than 37,000 people died on U.S. roads in
2017 - that's more than 100 traffic deaths per day - and 94% of
serious crashes are due to human error. Not only will self-driving
vehicles save lives, they'll also provide new mobility opportunities to seniors and people with disabilities. Many CTA members
are developing self-driving technologies and components, in
addition to aftermarket solutions to increase auto safety.

Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of
CTA, testified on vehicle technology and
self-driving vehicles at the U.S. House
of Representatives Energy and
Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer
Protection and Commerce hearing on
summer auto safety. The hearing, held
May 23, titled "Summer Driving
Dangers: Exploring Ways to Protect
Drivers and Their Families," addressed
the increased risks to drivers and their
passengers during the busy summer
driving season. Shapiro's testimony
focused on innovations available
today that can help prevent kids
from being left in hot cars and driving assistance features that can
prevent automotive accidents.
Several of these technologies
have been featured at CES. At
CES 2018, Carol Staninger, a
passionate advocate for the welfare of children and president of
Ancer, exhibited for the first time
at age 82. After seeing news stories about children and dogs
accidentally left in hot cars,
Staninger decided she could
make a difference through technology. Staninger invented a
presence detector and alarm
device called Save Our Loved
Ones (SOLO) to prevent
34

JULY/AUGUST 2019

The aftermarket
industry provides
a valuable service
in allowing
consumers to add
life-saving
technologies to
vehicles they
already own.

children, pets or seniors being left alone
in cars. Many other entrepreneurs have
introduced devices to solve this problem
using connected car seats, apps and
Bluetooth devices. Each help remind
parents to check the back seat.
Shapiro also highlighted the potential
of self-driving vehicles, which can eliminate most of the nearly 40,000 roadway
deaths a year in the U.S. At CES 2019,
more than 170 vehicle technology exhibitors showcased the latest in self-driving
technology - from Bosch's all-electric,
self-driving pod to Qualcomm's
5G-enabled self-driving chipset. These
innovators underscored how self-driving
technology will save lives, boost our
economy and open a world of possibilities for passengers.
Driver-assist and add-on technology
was also highlighted in Shapiro's testimony. While fully self-driving vehicles
are still years away, the aftermarket
industry provides a valuable service in
allowing consumers to add life-saving
technologies to vehicles they already own.
As the average age of vehicles on the road
today tops 11 years, aftermarket solutions
will continue to play a critical role in
increasing the use of vehicle safety technologies. This technology is already saving lives, avoiding accidents and paving
the way for completely self-driving
innovations still to come.
Shapiro also encouraged legislators
to update our safety laws and provide a national regulatory path
forward for self-driving vehicles.
Last year, the SELF DRIVE Act,
which CTA supported, passed out
of the House unanimously but
died in the Senate. This important legislation would have been
a jump start toward adapting our
vehicle safety laws to address
self-driving technology and
would have created more opportunities for testing and deployment. Shapiro urged Congress to
revisit this issue and keep the
U.S. at the forefront of self-driving innovation.
I T I S I N N O VAT I O N

JG Photography/Alamy

P O L I CY I N ACT I O N

i3 - July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i3 - July/August 2019