Emergency scenes are not “edge cases.” That’s the message from NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison in a directive issued Wednesday to autonomous vehicle developers.
The agency says it has “identified a clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with law enforcement and other first responders.” Specific examples include AVs driving into active emergency scenes, blocking ambulances and firefighters, and failing to recognize flashing lights, flares, smoke, fire, and traffic cones.
“Let me be clear: the inability to detect and appropriately respond to such situations represents a functional insufficiency,” Morrison’s letter reads. The agency is demanding AV developers present their solutions by the end of the month.
Waymo declined to comment, but it’s clearly in the crosshairs. A TechCrunch investigation found Waymo vehicles had at least six documented run-ins with first responders through March. In one case, an officer was responding to a mass shooting and had to physically take control of a Waymo. In another, a Waymo blocked a route to a natural gas explosion site.
The letter doesn’t specify consequences if companies ignore the request. But Morrison notes that human drivers who impede emergency responders face fines and jail time. The implication is clear.
NHTSA is also pushing forward on updating FMVSS requirements that could help companies like Tesla and Zoox build vehicles without steering wheels and pedals. Proposed changes would eliminate requirements for windshield wipers, sun visors, and defogging systems on AVs. But first? They need to stop blocking fire trucks.
