Statement by GHSA CEO Jonathan Adkins in response to new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety research on autonomous vehicle safety compared to human drivers.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Caroline Cash, 240-409-6375
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) today issued the following statement in response to a new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) report, Rise of the Machines: Crash Experiences of Highly Automated Vehicles and Human Drivers. The research found that Waymo’s driverless vehicles were involved in 68% fewer police reportable crashes per vehicle mile traveled than human drivers in the same cities.
Statement by Jonathan Adkins, Chief Executive Officer, GHSA
“For years, we have expected autonomous vehicles (AVs) to be flawless while quietly accepting a human driving record that kills more than 36,000 people on our roads every year. Innovation and safety are not competing goals. This research is a powerful reminder that progress, not perfection, must be the standard for AVs, just as it has been for seat belts, airbags, automatic emergency braking and every other safety technology that eventually earned the public’s trust.
This new IIHS research underscores why these technologies should be judged by consistent data collected over millions of miles, not by overreactions caused by a single viral video, isolated incident, or perception of a lack of safety that isn’t supported by data. On that basis, the findings are clear: Waymo’s driverless vehicles crashed far less often than the people driving around them. Human drivers will continue to make mistakes, and we should not allow the pursuit of a perfect AV safety record to become a barrier to deploying technologies that are demonstrating the ability to make our roads safer.
As AVs become more common, federal, state and local safety officials must have the tools and information they need to monitor performance, identify emerging safety issues and respond effectively. State Highway Safety Offices will also play an important role in helping communities understand these technologies, educating the public and ensuring first responders are prepared to safely interact with autonomous vehicles.
GHSA looks forward to continuing our work with NHTSA, industry partners and our state members to help ensure AVs are deployed responsibly, first responders and the public are prepared, and the safety benefits highlighted by this research continue to grow as the technology reaches more communities.”
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The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans.
