USA: New FMVSS in discussion – Advanced Impaired Driving Prevention Technology
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced its intention to work on a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) regarding Advanced Impaired Driving Prevention Technology.
Within the launched rulemaking, the NHTSA wants to gather the information necessary to develop performance requirements and require that new passenger motor vehicles be equipped with advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention technology. In the published document, NHTSA presents its various activities related to preventing drunk and impaired driving and discusses the current state of advanced impaired driving technology. NHTSA also asks many questions to gather the information necessary to develop a notice of proposed rulemaking on advanced drunk and impaired driving technology.
In essence, impaired driving due to alcohol remains a significant contributor to accidents and fatalities on American roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has actively addressed this issue since the 1970s. Recent advancements in vehicle technology offer new opportunities to further decrease crashes and fatalities related to drunk and impaired driving, potentially eliminating them entirely. Both private and public researchers have made noteworthy progress in developing technologies capable of assessing driver state and performance, including factors like hands-on steering wheel engagement, visual gaze direction, and lane position. However, effectively utilizing these technologies for detecting and preventing drunk and impaired driving poses a considerable challenge.
NHTSA’s information gathering and research indicate that several technologies hold promise for detecting different states of impairment, focusing on alcohol, drowsiness, and distraction for the purposes of this document. Yet, challenges persist, such as distinguishing between various impairment states, avoiding false positives, and determining appropriate prevention measures. Due to the immaturity of technology and a lack of testing protocols, this advance notice of proposed rulemaking does not consider drugged driving.
Comments to NHTSA can be submitted no later than March 5, 2024.
The full text of the consultation is available HERE.
To find out more about vehicle regulations and vehicle compliance in USA and worldwide, please contact the Institute for Global Automotive Regulatory Research directly.