The nation’s top vehicle safety regulator is demanding that self-driving car companies take immediate action to stop a troubling trend of autonomous vehicles getting in the way of emergency personnel.
Jonathan Morrison, who leads the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, sent a letter to the industry this Wednesday outlining serious concerns. According to Morrison, NHTSA has recorded numerous cases of driverless vehicles driving “directly into active emergency scenes, blocked the paths of ambulances and firefighters, or failed to recognize and respond to basic safety conditions like flashing lights, flares, smoke, fire, and traffic cones.”
Morrison described the problem as a “clear pattern” that requires swift attention from autonomous vehicle developers.
NHTSA called the behavior unacceptable and announced it would set up meetings with vehicle developers before the end of July to hear what solutions the companies plan to put in place.
