The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has warned the U.S. Department of Transportation that although artificial intelligence likely will have many benefits for the trucking industry, moving too fast on the emerging technology could be dangerous.
With AI technology rapidly developing, the U.S. DOT reached out to stakeholders with a formal request for information to better understand the potential applications of the new technology in transportation. OOIDA raised concerns about unproven technology and establishing standards for autonomous vehicles.
In its comments, OOIDA advised the DOT not to embrace “unproven and unreliable” AI technology that will not satisfy the department’s safety objectives. The Association pointed out the unintended consequences of previous attempts to quickly jump on new technologies.
“Rushing to introduce or mandate such ‘innovations’ has not resulted in touted highway safety benefits and forced many experienced truck drivers out of the industry because they can’t afford the costs of the equipment,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer stated in submitted comments.
From the 30,000-foot view, technology has made trucks safer over time. However, OOIDA notes that some emerging technologies have distracted drivers, do not work as designed or are too expensive for small-business trucking companies.
One example is automatic emergency braking systems. Several truck drivers have reported false activations that caused their trucks to slam on the brakes at highway speeds. One driver experienced a false activation on a snowy highway, resulting in her truck jackknifing and nearly crashing into a median. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently investigating false activations with certain Daimler trucks, and members of Congress have questioned the technology. Despite these concerns, NHTSA and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are moving forward with a final rule that will mandate AEBs for new trucks.
Although the future of AI in transportation is unclear, one known application of the technology is with autonomous vehicles.
Many stakeholders and the general public have raised concerns about the safety of AVs. Currently, AV manufacturers only need to voluntarily report crashes and safety issues. OOIDA encouraged the DOT to develop AV standards based on documented research and testing data. The Association also supports mandatory testing, safety and crash-reporting requirements.
How artificial intelligence will be used throughout the supply chain and in trucking specifically remains to be seen. OOIDA urged the DOT to address questions about the ethical, operational and cybersecurity issues of AI when considering the technology.
“AI has the potential to drastically change the transportation sector, among others, but there must be safeguards in place that protect small businesses, the trucking workforce and consumers,” Spencer wrote in comments. “Emerging technologies hold the potential for improving safety, lowering costs and enhancing efficiency, but DOT must ensure that future policies result in safe, secure, affordable and equitable deployment of new innovations.” LL
Land Line Senior Editor Mark Schremmer contributed to this report.
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