By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed adding four more advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) technologies to its five-star safety rating program: lane-keeping support, pedestrian automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning and blind-spot intervention.
NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) already includes four ADAS technologies: forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, crash imminent braking, and dynamic brake support. The agency is also seeking to update and strengthen the testing procedures and performance criteria for the four ADAS technologies currently in NCAP. NHTSA intends to establish a 10-year roadmap for future updates. This includes technologies to address driver distraction, alcohol detection, seat belt interlocks, intelligent speed assist, driver monitoring systems and rear-seat child reminder assist.
NCAP is designed to help consumers learn about the safety of new vehicles, and these proposed updates will help the program “keep up with the pace of innovation in vehicle safety” said Dr. Steven Cliff, NHTSA’s Deputy Administrator. In turn, as NHTSA develops reliable test procedures, the agency may seek to create a performance-based safety standard to require installation of certain ADAS technology on new vehicles. SEMA is reviewing the proposed rule and will submit comments aimed at protecting consumers’ ability to modify their ADAS-equipped vehicles.
For more information, contact Caroline Fletcher at carolinef@sema.org.