This Week in AV News

China issues safety guidelines for autonomous public transport vehicles

• On Tuesday, China announced safety guidelines for the use of autonomous vehicles in public transport. This is the latest law in a series of measures aimed at preparing the public for an increased use of driverless cars. The guidelines apply to AVs for passengers, including taxis and freight. “The guideline could accelerate the adoption of autonomous driving technologies in China with a more pragmatic approach by regulating automakers and fleet operators. Unlike their U.S. peers, Chinese regulators don’t directly go after software developers, which are more difficult to regulate,” said Xue Jiancong, President of the innovation unit at FOR-U Smart Freight, a Chinese logistics company.

Self-driving industry at ‘critical juncture,’ needs USDOT support — letter

• A letter signed by a coalition of groups representing autonomous vehicles was sent to U.S. Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg. The letter asks the Secretary to support AVs and assert federal jurisdiction. “The AV industry is at a critical juncture and in need of strong leadership from USDOT,” said the letter, and was signed by the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and others.

Kodiak’s military prototype AV is a Ford F-150 pickup

• Kodiak Robotics unveiled its first autonomous test vehicle for the U.S. Department of Defense, a Ford F-150 truck upfitted with software and sensors to make it driverless. The DOD would use this vehicle to test autonomous surveillance and reconnaissance missions on off-road terrain, diverse operational conditions, and GPS-challenged environments. In 2022, Kodiak won a $50 million two-year contract with the Army and now has another year to build and deliver two off-road capable AVs. “Ultimately, the battlefield of tomorrow is going to be autonomous,” said CEO of Kodiak, Don Burnette.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; V2V Communications

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration withdrew a 2017 proposed rule that would have required vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications technology in all new light vehicles. V2V technology would allow vehicles to wirelessly exchange information about the speed and position of surrounding vehicles. This technology shows promise in helping to avoid crashes, ease traffic congestion, and improve the environment. Automakers are still rolling out this technology in many of their new vehicles, but the rule relied on a now outdated form of communication called “dedicated short-range communication.” That has now been replaced with “cellular vehicle-to-everything technology,” which is now the industry standard.