ATA, safety groups slam driverless truck warning system
Major trucking and safety groups are criticizing a warning approach tied to driverless and automated driving systems, arguing that the method is unproven when it comes to keeping inattentive drivers engaged and maintaining safety on the road.
The pushback matters for working drivers because warning systems are a key part of how automated features are allowed to operate. If a system can’t reliably detect inattention and prompt a driver to take over, it raises questions about real-world safety in mixed traffic that includes heavy trucks, passenger vehicles and vulnerable road users.
The debate is unfolding as Tesla works to expand its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system into new markets. Simeon Calvert, a professor of automated driving at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, said Tesla will have to satisfy regulators on safety questions as it seeks approvals outside the U.S.
In Europe, those questions are tied directly to driver monitoring and warnings. Calvert noted that European rules require automakers to have effective strategies to warn inattentive drivers. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said he hopes to gain approval for FSD in Europe as soon as February.
For professional drivers, the bigger takeaway is that regulators and industry groups are paying close attention to how automation handles the most basic job requirement: making sure a human operator is alert and ready to respond. As automated driving features spread, warning and driver-attention systems will remain a central point of scrutiny.