NACTO Executive Director Ryan Russo issued the following statement in response to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recent updates to the New Car Assessment Program.
NACTO commends NHTSA for finalizing updates to the New Car Assessment Program that will provide consumers with better information about how well new vehicles perform in reducing the likelihood and severity of crashes with people walking and biking.
Over the last four years, NACTO has supported proposals to include pedestrian automated emergency braking (PAEB), other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and a pedestrian crashworthiness test into NCAP. NACTO is pleased to see that NHTSA will require PAEB systems be tested in low-light scenarios with stationary pedestrians to account for a real and significant risk faced by people walking in cities.
Though the NCAP updates do not yet include tests for other important vehicle design features, such as Direct Vision and other ADAS for people walking and biking, we are glad to see a mid-and long-term roadmap that prioritizes testing enhanced ADAS specifically focused on people walking, biking, and riding motorcycles, as well as proposed research on Driver Visibility.
Moving forward, we look forward to NHTSA continuing to address unsafe vehicle design through its 5-Star Safety Ratings Program and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
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About the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
NACTO is an association of 100 North American cities and transit agencies that exchange transportation ideas, insights, and practices and cooperatively approach national transportation issues. The organization’s mission is to build cities as places for people, with safe, sustainable, accessible, and equitable transportation choices that support a strong economy and vibrant quality of life. To learn more, visit NACTO.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on social media, including on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Press Contact
Alex Engel | alex ( a t ) nacto.org
For Immediate Release
December 10, 2024