Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) announced the creation of a Commission on Autonomous Vehicle Testing and Safety, a project of the organization’s Autonomous Vehicles Task Force.
The Commission will study and recommend best practices for industry and other parties for testing and early deployment of autonomous vehicles in real-world conditions.
Although there will be incidents while autonomous technology is perfected, the current 35,000 lives lost and over 2 million people injured every year on American roads reveal the scope of the current problem, according to a news release.
SAFE experts believe up to 90% of crashes will be eliminated by autonomous technology, but recent polling has shown that the general public remains skeptical of these benefits, with only 35% of Americans aware that autonomous vehicles will save lives.
Members of the Commission will convene over the course of the coming months, combining decades of experience in public safety and vehicle technology in their investigation. Once the group has completed its research, it will publish its findings for industry and regulators on best safety practices.
