NTSB calls for rulemaking on cruise control, collision warning systems

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made safety recommendations to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and reiterated to NHTSA earlier recommendations.

The NTSB suggested that the NHTSA determine whether equipping commercial vehicles, with collision warning systems with active braking and electronic stability control systems, will reduce commercial vehicle accidents. And, if these technologies are determined to be effective in reducing accidents, require their use on commercial vehicles.

The NTSB also reiterated the need for complete rulemaking on adaptive cruise control and collision warning system performance standards for new commercial vehicles and, after promulgating performance standards for collision warning systems for commercial vehicles, require that all new commercial vehicles be equipped with a collision warning system.

Meanwhile, the Board charged the FMCSA to develop and implement a plan to deploy technologies in commercial vehicles to reduce the occurrence of fatigue-related accidents, as well as develop and use a methodology that will continually assess the effectiveness of the fatigue management plans implemented by motor carriers, including their ability to improve sleep and alertness, mitigate performance errors, and prevent incidents and accidents.