The upcoming administration under president-elect Donald Trump is aiming to eliminate a rule set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that mandates automakers to report crashes involving advanced driver assistance technology or automated driving systems within 30 seconds of the incident, as per a Reuters report. The NHTSA implemented the Standing General Order in 2021 in order to gather data that could aid in identifying potential safety concerns.
The collected data has been utilized in investigations into crashes involving major companies like Tesla and GM’s Cruise. Tesla, in particular, strongly opposes the reporting requirement, deeming the data potentially misleading to consumers. The president-elect’s transition team has recommended repealing the rule, labeling it as requiring excessive data collection.
Despite having reported over 1,500 crashes, with 40 out of 45 fatal crashes reported to the NHTSA attributed to Tesla, it is important to note that Tesla has a higher number of vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance technology on the road and maintains a larger database of real-time crash data compared to other companies. This disparity may lead to a higher number of incidents being reported.
It remains unclear whether prominent figure Elon Musk, who provided a significant donation to support Trump’s candidacy and has been selected to lead the new “Department of Government Efficiency” alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, had any involvement in the recommendation. University of South Carolina law professor Bryant Walker Smith, in a statement to Reuters, highlighted the unique circumstances surrounding Tesla’s reporting numbers.
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