NHTSA Says 93% Of All Crashes Are Due To Driver Error - Touts Automated Driving As The Solution

Automated vehicles could be the technology leap that significantly reduces U.S. fatalities because of car crashes, a top safety official said Wednesday at the first Driverless Car Summit in Detroit.

Automation that prevents a car from crashing "can help us get to the next steep decline in the fatality rate that we seek," said John Maddox, associate administrator, safety research for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

There were 32,788 traffic fatalities in 2010 -- the fewest since NHTSA started tracking the fatality rate in 1949 -- but the decline has become gradual.

Read Article

222max - 6/14/2012 3:14:46 PM

+1 Boost

"How'd I get hea?"
"The opened, you got in". (rolleyes)

So now drivers are getting so dumb that cars will be smarter than they are.

Steve - 6/14/2012 6:10:19 PM

+1 Boost

Hmmmm. In General Aviation, every incident is investigated and the cause is determined. If it's a physical issue then the manufacturer is obligated to correct it damned quick. In most cases, the cause is pilor error, negligence, hot-shotting, or poor decision-making, in which case the pilot's license is suspended or revoked (assuming he's still alove). In other words, aircraft pilots are held accountable for their actions. The FAA has also learned that a plane known as "The Widow Maker" transforms into a very safe aircraft once the pilot has received mandatory "type training" for that aircraft.

In the automotive world, it's nobody's fault. Or we blame Audi or Toyota for "unintended acceleration" rather than recognizing the stupid driver was standing on the gas and only *believing* it was the brake. And when we have drivers who lack skills and sound decision-making, instead of training them, we feel it's better to make them dummer and automate the car.

(Steve leaves the room, shaking his head)

monster - 6/14/2012 9:14:52 PM

+1 Boost

I had said that quite a while ago. This may be becoming true.
http://www.autospies.com/news/Going-Too-Far-Feds-Set-The-Stage-To-Ban-Nearly-All-Calls-From-Behind-The-Wheel-69841/

1CarSmart1 - 6/15/2012 11:56:01 AM

-1 Boost

I'm thankful to see the end of traffic fatalities in my lifetime. Driverless cars will put an end to so much time and natural resources wasted on needless variations between cars (which all have the same purpose). Imagine a future where you CANNOT get less than 40 mph because driving habits wont come into play?

Again, I feel lucky to see this and pity the poor fools who died before such things were poassible.