While the Trump administration has signaled its support for autonomous vehicle technology in the past, it’s never been quite so clear. Last week, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said that the federal government is “all in” on automated driving systems.
Speaking at CES 2020 this past week, Chao gave a keynote address. She used the technology expo as the platform to announce Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0.
According to the DOT, AV 4.0 will seek to ensure that “the United States can continue to lead AV [Autonomous Vehicle] Technology research, development, and integration.” In order to do that, the government plans to provide unified guidance to the few dozen federal agencies that currently have a hand in regulating autonomous vehicles.
One other point of interest is that Chao says that the “oversight” of AV development will ensure the “strategic allocation of public resources.” This likely includes the Trump administration’s plans to support the self-driving industry with federal investment.
“The landscape for AV innovation is complex and evolving,” Chao told attendees according to Fleetowner. “But the goals are pretty simple… They need to improve safety, security and the quality of life for all Americans — that’s the barometer for success.”
The full text of AV 4.0 is expected to be published in the Federal Register soon where it will be open for comments from the public.
Source: fleetowner, DOT, ttnews
Jeff Richarme says
Yeah, let’s go autonomous. Who cares if the cars and trucks are run by computers and can be hacked and turned into weapons. As long as you’re putting someone out of a job.
Steven Bertges says
Exactly what I was going to say. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Roger Andersen says
You will still have drivers onboard to monitor it
Robert says
Yes you will have drivers onboard, but the first time the computer fails and hits something or someone, who do you think will be blamed? The Driver for not seeing the problem and correcting it. Autonomous companies will love this, they won’t be blamed for the computer failure.
Andrew H says
Maybe if Autonomous vehicles had their own lanes like use the carpool lanes or something. In the meantime our infrastructure, especially in poorly managed large cities, are not going to safely be able to support autonomous vehicles.
Evron Dixon says
I agree with you but if they are going to say it’s safety then they should do how the trains run, create routs for trucks only use old tracks that trains no longer use turn them into truck rt only that would be the nit jobs away from us.
JaNay St Clair says
Mega complex Cities like Washington DC/ VA/MD are wasting resources on EZ Pass Commuters who take up 15% of traffic lanes to end up in bottlenecks. Instead open those lanes to Commercial Trucks passing through mega complex Cities and illuminate the hours of traffic. Separating Trucks and Cars in major complex traffic Cities…could make a difference.
Second, Autonomous Vehicles don’t operate on their own…once Driver has reached City Limits. The technology is designed to run OTR (over the road) … without stops/starts).
Donald Trump and Elaine Chao don’t have a clue?
Steve says
People can’t even drive, what makes them think a computer can drive? Then what happens to people on the road if the computer gets hacked or gets a glitch. I just don’t see it happening in my life time. Tesla has pumped millions into it and can’t get it right. Just isn’t gonna happen.
Clay says
That’s a middle finger to us truck drivers! That changes my vote in November, thanks trump!
F...D. Trump says
After carrying the nation with a shortage with no raise the last 40 years we could use a vacation. When they start slaughtering civilians in record numbers we will be right here available at triple our current rates. I’m going to be an autonomous salesman in the meantime. “Here you go Mr. Swift. This is the Driving Blind Package. It works well on straight roads in perfect weather for 50 miles. I am authorized to throw in a Public Defender at no extra charge.”
Mark Hicks says
Thanks for putting more hardworking americans out of jobs. You think your unemployment wages will be equal to a truckers wage. Ha ha ha. You are putting the American public in danger. If Trump administration is for this they have just lost my support. Oh and by the way whoever thought of elogs has to be the most ignorant person on the face of this planet.
RoadMouth says
They know it has nothing to do with safety lol. It has everything to do with squeezing even more wealth from the American people. Labor has long been the greatest thing of value we provide to them. If they can bypass that and keep making their billions, they will do it. And as long as we’re divided and fighting each other, nothing is going to stop them.
It truly is up to us – we’re either going to take our lives, our careers and our industry back from them, or they will continue to consume the entire thing from the inside, and move on to the next host. Really is that simple.
Mark Bills says
I remember the automated driver in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Total Recall when I think of what’s coming. Let see Ms Chao get rid of all the foreign drivers first, maybe our wages will go up before we lose our jobs!
Michael Grossman says
Oh i can see it now they will pay the autonomous driver minimum wage to be in the sleeper overseeing to make sure everything is running smoothly i hope the first family to get run over by one of these is miss chaos
Mark Berry says
Well Mr.Trump i guess you must be willing to lose a 💩 load of votes… come november, just shows your not for the trucking industry, like you have always talked about🤔🤔🤔
John William Chamblee says
Trump just lost my vote
Gary F. Brown says
One thing leads to another with technology. Domino chain effect. Here’s to human extinction. Back to the farms folks. Grow your own.
Boomer says
Stop crying and grow up
Jeremy M says
Take a chill pill,Y’all! This is more about r&d moving forward to the future. You will have retired from the industry long before this tech takes root. In the meantime,who cares? Let the autonomous trucks do the long hauling out on the open interstate. There’s no way auto-trucks are going to be able to compute all the variables involved with urban pick-up/delivery any time soon. That’s where the human element has it’s safeguard for many years to come. Just think,no more on the road for weeks on end. Be home daily and make same money.
Shane says
Automotise vehicles should never be allowed not just for safety concerns but who will be held responsible if and when a tradget accident happens can u put a computer on trial for negligence I believe it could have tradgec consequences to 1\3 of the labor force with a negative ripple effect in wages for the 2\3 left working non driving or mechanical jobs it’s truly not a good thing think about how congested traffic would be if all of us now mindless blob’s can drive at any given time regardless if we are asleep or awake I’m a trump supporter but not on this one very poor thinking
Joel says
Autonomous is only useful on interstate relay as fedex does. Trucks will not navigate 95 percent of docks across country. Imagine cost of converting a 40000 fleet of trucks like ups fedex or walmart. What to do with 200000 converted trucks????
Imagine the cost of converting to autonomous when a driver is still required.
Abasi S. Baruti says
This is disgraceful. From third point forward any candidate or elected official that sides with this nonsense will forfeit my vote and that of my family and anyone who I have any influence with.
Jim Estabrook says
I’d like to see em chain a load down, break down an rgn, tarp a load, etc. Trump lost mine too.
Karl says
Hey you guys, don’t know if you can recall, but they used Trumps name when the eld’s got signed into effect. They’ve been working on autonomous driving for over a decade now. What would you say as the President of the United States, let China do it for us?…
Jigga says
Look drivers, we know change is hard, especially for some of you old heads out there but its inevitable.
In situations like these you have to look at the brightsides of things.
Perhaps when they finally get these robotrucks on the road (lord knows when that is) we can buy them or buy the kits and own our on fleet of autotrucks that run 24/7/365.
Thats an opportunity to make money while you sleep instead of barely sleeping tryna make money.
You see they serious about this, so my guess is they will be a regular on the road more sooner than later.
So you can whine and cry about it or prepare yourself on how to benefit from it.
You best believe like everything else thats new, there will be ways to benefit and profit from it im sure!