[Senate Hearing 115-665]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 115-665
TRANSPORTATION OF TOMORROW: EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL MOVE
AMERICA
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available online: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
55-086 PDF WASHINGTON : 2024
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota, Chairman
ROGER WICKER, Mississippi BILL NELSON, Florida, Ranking
ROY BLUNT, Missouri MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
TED CRUZ, Texas AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
JERRY MORAN, Kansas BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts
DEAN HELLER, Nevada TOM UDALL, New Mexico
JAMES INHOFE, Oklahoma GARY PETERS, Michigan
MIKE LEE, Utah TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire
CORY GARDNER, Colorado CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada
TODD YOUNG, Indiana JON TESTER, Montana
Nick Rossi, Staff Director
Adrian Arnakis, Deputy Staff Director
Jason Van Beek, General Counsel
Kim Lipsky, Democratic Staff Director
Chris Day, Democratic Deputy Staff Director
Renae Black, Senior Counsel
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Hearing held on September 13, 2018............................... 1
Statement of Senator Thune....................................... 1
Statement of Senator Cortez Masto................................ 3
Statement of Senator Peters...................................... 29
Statement of Senator Hassan...................................... 31
Statement of Senator Tester...................................... 33
Statement of Senator Markey...................................... 36
Statement of Senator Cantwell.................................... 38
Statement of Senator Klobuchar................................... 39
Statement of Senator Gardner..................................... 41
Statement of Senator Blumenthal.................................. 44
Prepared statement from Catherine Chase, President, Advocates
for Highway and Auto Safety................................ 46
Witnesses
Tina Quigley, General Manager, Regional Transportation Commission
of Southern Nevada............................................. 4
Prepared statement........................................... 5
Davis S. Sanford, Naval Unmanned and Future Technologies, Rolls-
Royce Marine North America, Inc................................ 9
Prepared statement........................................... 11
Laurie Tolson, Chief Digital Officer, GE Transportation.......... 16
Prepared statement........................................... 18
Josh Raycroft, Director, Business Strategy, Virgin Hyperloop One. 21
Prepared statement........................................... 23
TRANSPORTATION OF TOMORROW:
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL
MOVE AMERICA
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m. in room
SR-253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. John Thune,
Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
Present: Senators Thune [presiding], Cortez Masto, Peters,
Hassan, Tester, Markey, Cantwell, Klobuchar, Gardner, and
Blumenthal.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN THUNE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA
The Chairman. Good morning. This nation built the Erie
Canal, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Wright 1903 Flyer,
and the Interstate Highway System.
These advancements made America's transportation system the
envy of the world and unlocked enormous opportunities for
Americans. They created jobs and new sources of wealth, opened
markets, connected rural areas to urban areas, and the coast to
the heartland, improved the efficiency and safety of the
movement of people and goods, and gave American businesses a
significant advantage over economic competitors.
More recently, however, our transportation system has
struggled to keep pace with the growing demands of a dynamic
economy. Freight movement is expected to double over the next
few decades. The growth of e-commerce continues to present new
opportunities and challenges and competition from foreign
countries is strong.
Meanwhile, our roadways are increasingly congested as
Americans spend too many hours stuck in traffic at a cost of
over a $160 billion per year in wasted time, fuel, and vehicle
wear and tear, and transportation connections in many areas,
including rural areas, are hindered by deteriorating
infrastructure conditions.
While there is a real need for robust investment, the
transportation sector also needs innovative solutions to
enhance the safety and efficiency of our system. It is
essential that the private and public sectors work together to
prepare for the future and to promote technologies that will
improve the ways in which people and goods get to and from
their destinations, including urban and rural areas.
Technology has the potential to make it easier to get to
work, get our groceries, plan our businesses or pick up our
kids or grandkids. Technological changes and innovation may
transform all aspects of our transportation network from
vehicles and equipment to the underlying infrastructure to the
logistics software that helps connect us.
Our Committee has been active in this Congress in automated
vehicles, next generation telecom, unmanned aircraft systems or
drones, and other emerging technology issues.
Senator Peters and I have been advancing our AV START Act
to facilitate the safe development of automated vehicles which
will help save lives, improve mobility for all Americans,
including those with disabilities, and create new jobs while
maintaining U.S. leadership in this important technology.
With the passage of MOBILE NOW, my work with Senator
Schatz, and the STREAMLINE Small Cell Deployment Act and the
Committee's related work on 5G Spectrum, we are also working to
maintain American leadership in next generation communications
technology, a position that China and others seek for
themselves.
In addition, this Committee has included several provisions
in the Senate FAA bill that will help promote drone
technologies while addressing safety and privacy issues and
improving enforcement and Federal oversight of drone
operations.
Of course, there are many other forms of technology within
the Committee's jurisdiction that will transform how we do
business. An important role of this committee is to hold these
types of hearings to better inform Congress and the public on
emerging technologies in areas under our purview.
While we do not always know which technologies will succeed
or what the technological maturation process will look like or
mean for our every-day lives, it is critical that Congress
engage with innovators and ensure Federal policy supports and
does not hold back American ingenuity.
I expect this hearing will examine how emerging
transportation technologies will fit within Federal regulatory
financing and permitting policies. It will help answer an
ongoing question and that is how should the Federal Government
best engage in the transportation of tomorrow?
Answering these questions can help ensure our
transportation system keeps pace with the dynamic economy and
is the envy of the world.
This morning, we'll be hearing from a distinguished panel
of witnesses on new and exciting areas of transportation that
will transform the way that people and goods move in the 21st
Century.
I look forward to hearing from all of you and for all your
testimony this morning and look forward to having an
opportunity to interact with you with some questions when we
conclude our statements.
I will now recognize our Ranking Member, Senator Cortez
Masto, for an opening statement.
STATEMENT OF HON. CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEVADA
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair, for
holding this hearing, and I want to thank Ranking Member
Nelson, as well. I'm very excited about today's panel, very
excited about the subject matter.
This is something that I have been talking about and
promoting around the halls here in Congress because Nevada is
an innovation state, very, very excited to have this
conversation today.
You know, I have been talking about the fact that Nevada is
an innovative state where the State Department of
Transportation has worked to license the Nation's first
autonomous semi-truck, where the City of Reno is a designee in
the FAA's new UAS Integration Pilot Program, having just
announced their recent first multi-drone delivery of automated
external defibrillators in the presence of the FAA, and its
other innovations in transit, like our Washoe County Regional
Transportation Commission, which is pursuing a full range of
electric buses.
So I am glad that Virgin Hyperloop One is here as they have
a fascinating test track and manufacturing outfit in North Las
Vegas. All of this plays into what I have been advocating here
in the Senate for most of my tenure, including my bipartisan
Moving FIRST Act with Senators Burr and Nelson, incentivizing
the use of emerging technologies to develop smart communities
and intelligent transportation systems which can improve safety
and efficiency, reduce costs, cut down on pollution, help us
reach disadvantaged populations, and much more.
This is something that is happening around the country and
the world and I believe we should think of it as a global race.
Here in the U.S., places like Farmington Hills, Michigan,
have used smart street lights to help manage traffic flows.
Norwalk, Connecticut, used a smart parking app to allow
residents to see available parking in real time, and in
Milwaukee, police are using sensors to pinpoint gunfire,
cutting down response times and improving safety, and globally,
places like Grenoble in France have tested three-wheeled
electric vehicles for customers to drive on the last leg of
their journey into and out of the city, and in Masdar, Abu
Dhabi, a similar project system works with autonomous cars, and
in Nevada, we are helping to lead the way in all of these
technologies.
So I look forward to this distinguished panel and the
conversations today, and thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for
your willingness to hold the hearing today.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Cortez Masto, and we'll
proceed now with our panel and start on my left and your right.
With us, we have Ms. Tina Quigley, who's General Manager,
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, and Las
Vegas, Nevada; and next to her we have Mr. Davis Sanford,
Campaigns Lead, Naval Ship Intelligence & Technologies with
Rolls-Royce Marine in North America; Ms. Laurie Tolson, who is
the Chief Digital Officer for GE Transportation; and Mr. Josh
Raycroft, who's Director of Business Strategy at Virgin
Hyperloop One.
So thank you all for being here. We look forward to hearing
from you and would ask, if you can, to confine your oral
remarks as close to five minutes as possible. We'll make sure
that the entirety of your remarks are included as a part of the
permanent record of the hearing.
So, Ms. Quigley, welcome. Please proceed.
STATEMENT OF TINA QUIGLEY, GENERAL MANAGER,
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
OF SOUTHERN NEVADA
Ms. Quigley. Thank you. Good morning. Again, my name is
Tina Quigley. I'm General Manager of the Regional
Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.
I'd like to sincerely thank Chairman Thune, Ranking Member
Nelson, Senator Cortez Masto, and Senator Heller, who's not
able to be here today, for inviting me here.
The RTC is a bit of an unusual agency in that we are the
single agency overseeing several transportation functions in
the Las Vegas region. We're the public transit agency, we're
the roadway planning and funding agency, we're the region's MPO
or metropolitan planning organization, and, in addition, we are
a centralized traffic management agency, which allows us to
easily collect, manage, and analyze region-wide data.
With the help of private sector partners, we can leverage
our infrastructure and data to test and implement smart
solutions to our safety, capacity, and congestion challenges.
Our region is growing at one of the fastest rates in the
Nation and our tourist numbers, which are currently over 43
million visitors a year, we basically have a super bowl every
weekend, are estimated to grow by 25 percent over the next 15
years.
We like to say ``technology is the new asphalt,'' given
that new technologies, when integrated into infrastructure, can
deliver greater capacity enhancements and greater return on
investments compared to paving just additional vehicle lane
miles.
It's clear we must lean in and not only embrace innovation,
but also facilitate and drive it. At an agency level, this
requires us to overcome our natural inclination to be
apprehensive of unconventional partnerships and a bit
distrusting of private sector's financial motives. No offense.
To help address this in Southern Nevada, all five of our
cities, the county, Nevada Department of Transportation, and
the RTC universally adopted a common Southern Nevada Smart
Community Vision that guides technology solutions, regardless
of jurisdictional boundaries.
This vision document provides a blueprint for continued
coordination among the partners as they work with various
private sector industry companies. An example of a few of the
projects and initiatives that we have underway at the RTC
include a partnership with Waycare. This groundbreaking
technology compiles and analyzes data to report in real time
the location of accidents and predict where dangerous driving
conditions may occur and so far since we employed this, we are
identifying accidents 12 minutes faster on average which means
we can clear them faster, allowing traffic to flow again, and
reducing the chance of secondary accidents.
We recently collaborated with Lyft to launch an on-demand
pilot program to provide non-ADA para-transit service. We
worked with Aptiv to launch a fleet of 30 autonomous vehicles
in Las Vegas on the Lyft Network.
Nexar introduced a vehicle-to-vehicle network via a smart
phone video app that will provide drivers real-time alerts to
prevent vehicle, cyclists, and pedestrian collisions.
Across the country, whether urban or rural, our communities
are at a crossroads when it comes to mobility and
transportation investments. We know we can no longer deliver
policies and infrastructure that rely on yesterday's solutions.
Consumer preference and expectations are rapidly changing
and a failure to keep pace can result in public investments
that are ineffective, inefficient, and may be inappropriate.
There's a constant stream of new mobility options. However,
our ability to access and integrate them is limited because
they do not necessarily fit into a traditional transportation
mold.
Congress now has a significant opportunity with the
upcoming reauthorization of the FAST Act to help states and
local communities partner with the Federal Government and
private industry to advance new and efficient mobility
technologies.
Federal funding for private and public partnerships is
essential. We need to identify and support flexible policies
that provide additional opportunities for pilots and testing
new approaches.
The creation of the ATCMTD Program in the FAST Act was a
good start for providing competitive grants for advanced
transportation technologies. However, the authorized funding is
not sufficient.
Additional opportunities are in Senator Cortez Masto's
Moving FIRST Act, which will enable more communities and states
to compete for resources to fund efficient and innovative
transportation projects, and in Senator Heller's Amendment to
the THUD Appropriations Minibus would require DOT to assist
local communities and transportation agencies on advancing
smart cities solutions.
In conclusion, the opportunity is real and the timing could
not be better to embrace it. As communities like ours face the
risk and uncertainty of being amongst the first to embrace a
new brand of mobility, the decisive factor is simple:
collaboration.
Absent congressional support, there's no realistic pathway
to think differently, much less do differently, relative to
transportation.
Together, however, the opportunities to improve lives and
accelerate the economy through advanced mobility are boundless.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Quigley follows:]
Prepared Statement of Tina Quigley, General Manager, Regional
Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Good morning, I am Tina Quigley, and I serve as the General Manager
of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. I would
like to thank Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson, Senator Cortez-
Masto, and Senator Heller for inviting me to be here today. I
appreciate the opportunity to speak about one of the most exciting and
critical issues affecting the transportation industry today.
About the RTC
The RTC oversees the Las Vegas region's public transit, traffic
management, transportation planning, and roadway funding. We also are
the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and administer Southern
Nevada Strong, our regional planning effort to build complete
communities throughout Southern Nevada.
In addition, our integrated Intelligent Transportation System
(ITS), housed at our traffic management center, spans all local
jurisdictions in the Southern Nevada region. This centralized traffic
management operation makes it easier for transportation and technology
companies to access data and demonstrate products.
In 2017, Nevada passed Assembly Bill 69, which provides a
regulatory structure that welcomes advance mobility. Given our regional
transportation authority combined with an innovation-friendly
regulatory structure, we have the ability to forge public-private,
multi-jurisdictional, and intergovernmental partnerships that leverage
technology as a solution to our region's current and future mobility
challenges.
Uncertainty of Innovation Against the Yoke of Convention
Our community, like many communities across the county, is at a
crossroads when it comes to urban mobility and transportation
investments. We can no longer afford to develop, implement, and invest
in policies and infrastructure that rely on yesterday's transportation
and mobility solutions.
This is especially critical at a time when today's cities and
citizens require more of our infrastructure investment. We are, and
have always been consumer focused. However, consumer preference and
expectations are rapidly changing, and a failure to keep pace could
have far-reaching effects on urban mobility.
Over the last several decades, while we were investing in
traditional solutions, private sector innovation shifted the terrain of
urban mobility, making it more personalized, nimble, accessible, and
convenient throughout the country. This entrepreneurial spirit created
companies like Uber, Lyft, Aptiv, BCyle, and Lime focused on ride
sharing, autonomous vehicles, bike share, and electric scooters. These
companies and their innovative ideas are transforming the way people
choose to move in and around our communities.
As the market continues to evolve, we have seen a seven percent
decline in transit ridership across the country. Today, we are forced
to weigh the uncertainty of innovation against the yoke of convention.
As our communities continue to grow and technology evolves, there is a
constant stream of new mobility options; however, our ability to access
and integrate them is limited because they do not fit into a
traditional transportation mold.
Ultimately, we need to work better with private industry and the
Federal government to develop and invest in communities that create and
encourage an ecosystem of mobility solutions foundational to a ``smart
community,'' creating workable pathways that promote mobility, safety,
and economic development while ensuring that we have transportation
options that are affordable, equitable, and accessible.
Revolutionizing Our Transportation Network in the Digital Age
We believe that ``technology is the new asphalt'' given that new
technologies, when integrated into existing and new transportation
infrastructure, can deliver significantly higher returns on investment
compared to the traditional approach of simply building another lane.
Advanced technology developments such as connected and autonomous
vehicles, faster wireless communications, and greater data sharing,
offer unprecedented opportunities to create safer, less congested, and
more efficient communities.
In this decade alone, private industry is paving the way and
transforming our transportation network. From ride share to bike share,
connected and autonomous vehicles to Hyperloop and The Boring Company,
these developments have and continue to disrupt the movement of people,
goods, and services.
Transportation agencies, like the RTC of Southern Nevada, are
working tirelessly to learn about and test new technologies because we
see firsthand their potential to improve the quality of life of our
citizens and to leverage our existing infrastructure. We believe that
we must lean in and not only embrace innovation--but also facilitate
and drive it. This requires us to overcome our natural inclinations to
be apprehensive of unconventional partnerships and to distrust private
sector's financial motivations.
To achieve that goal, collaboration between public and private
partners and among local jurisdictions and government agencies at all
levels are critical. We need to work together to ensure we are
developing policies, building infrastructure, and creating vehicles
that can accommodate the mobility of the future.
Smart Mobility Technology and Innovative Solutions
All six jurisdictions in Southern Nevada, the Nevada Department of
Transportation, and the RTC recently adopted a unified ``Southern
Nevada Smart Community Vision.'' This vision guides the introduction of
technological solutions that seamlessly interact and complement each
other, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries. The ``Southern Nevada
Smart Community Vision'' provides a blueprint for continued
coordination and cooperation among government and community
stakeholders as they work with various private-industry companies to
leverage advanced technology to build a smarter and more connected
Southern Nevada. Currently, multiple jurisdictions and agencies are
working together with private industry partners to test and deploy
technologies that can provide solutions for our mobility challenges.
Innovation in Infrastructure
A groundbreaking technology currently deployed in Southern Nevada
is a partnership with Waycare, whose technology helps improve safety
and efficiency on freeways and major arterials. Waycare compiles and
analyzes data to report in real-time the location of accidents and
predict where dangerous driving conditions or congestion may occur.
This technology enables faster validation and response to roadway
incidents. It also more efficiently uses resources to proactively
deploy traffic patrols and abatement efforts with the goal of
preventing incidents. The RTC Traffic Management Center uses Waycare's
real-time analytics to better optimize traffic flows. So far, through
Waycare, the RTC's early incident identification is on average
approximately 12 minutes faster than prior modes of incident
identification. By identifying incidents sooner, we can clear them
faster, restoring normal traffic flow, and reducing the chance of
secondary accidents. As a result, this technology is increasing safety
and reducing traffic congestion on our roadways.
Our regionally coordinated, traffic management operations also
prompted Audi to select Southern Nevada to debut the first of its kind
``Time to Green'' dashboard feature, which enables the car and driver
to receive real time alerts when traffic lights will change. This
information not only allows drivers to be more informed, prepared, and
alert, but it is also a first step to developing autonomous vehicles
and a data exchange that will help better manage congestion on crowded
roadways.
As connected and autonomous vehicles continue to evolve, a central
challenge to consumer acceptance is the question of how the vehicles
will operate safely and obey local rules of the roads. To address this
challenge, the RTC most recently partnered with the world leader in
connected car services and transportation analytics, INRIX, on a first-
of-its-kind platform called AV Road Rules (AVRR) to help ensure the
safe and effective operation of highly automated vehicles (HAVs) on
public roads. INRIX's state-of-the-art platform allows cities and
transportation authorities to digitize their traffic rules and
restrictions, such as speed limits, crosswalks, turn restrictions, and
bikes lanes. This platform can be communicated to HAVs, allowing them
to operate safely and effectively. The AVRR platform also enables HAVs
to report infrastructure needs, such as potholes, inadequate lane
striping, and signage issues, to the appropriate transportation
authorities. This is a valuable tool for cities to more quickly
identify infrastructure needs and leverage HAV operations to improve
the safety and comfort of public streets for all users.
Innovation in Public Transportation
Building on this regional cooperation and data exchange model, the
RTC, along with the City of Las Vegas, provide traffic signal data to
the Nation's first self-driving shuttle that operates in mixed traffic.
Sponsored by AAA and Keolis, the autonomous bus is fully integrated
with ``smart city'' infrastructure along a half-mile loop in downtown
Las Vegas. This pilot project tests autonomous and intelligent
infrastructure technology, and it will also help develop standards for
how government agencies can share data with vehicles, as Federal
standards do not currently exist.
The project enables the RTC, the City of Las Vegas, and project
partners to better understand the customer experience and learn more
about how autonomous vehicles operate in mixed traffic so autonomous
vehicles can be deployed for public use in the future. Over the course
of the yearlong pilot, the self-driving shuttle provided a quarter-
million residents and visitors to Las Vegas with a first-hand
experience of autonomous vehicle technology, exposing most riders to
the technology for the first time. People have embraced the shuttle,
which averages 150 riders per day and has transported more than 23,000
passengers so far. It is critical that people have the opportunity to
experience in-person these advanced technologies so they are
comfortable with the changes that will occur in the near future.
We also recently collaborated with Lyft to launch a six-month on-
demand pilot program to provide non-ADA paratransit service to
approximately 145 existing customers. This pilot was designed to help
reduce response time; improve mobility management; create an on-demand,
individualized service; and reduce cost. We performed 5,000 trips,
saved more than $100,000, significantly reducing wait times and
improving service for our paratransit customers.
In addition, Aptiv, a global technology company that develops
safer, greener, and more connected transportation solutions, launched a
fleet of 30 autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas on the Lyft network. On an
opt-in basis, passengers have the ability to hail a self-driving
vehicle equipped with Aptiv technology to and from more than 20 high-
demand locations including the Las Vegas Strip. Lyft and Aptiv's self-
driving program is the largest commercial program that is available to
the public today and represents a major milestone in mobility and the
future of transportation. This partnership further exposes our
residents and visitors to autonomous vehicle technology and its
benefits.
Education and Maintaining Our Infrastructure
According to a RAND Corporation study: ``allowing wide use of
autonomous vehicles when they are just 10 percent better than current
American drivers could prevent thousands of road fatalities over the
next 15 years and possibly hundreds of thousands of fatalities over 30
years, compared to waiting until they are 75 percent or 90 percent
better.'' \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ RAND Corporation, ``Introducing Autonomous Vehicles Sooner
Could Save Hundreds of Thousands of Lives Over Time.'' https://
www.rand.org/news/press/2017/11/07.html (November 7, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yet, the public's perception about whether autonomous vehicles
improve safety stands in stark contrast to this data. In 2016, Cox
Automotive found that 63 percent of respondents felt roadways would be
safer if all cars were autonomous, versus only 45 percent this year.\2\
Moreover, in a study conducted by AAA, more than half (54 percent) said
they would feel less safe sharing the road with AVs \3\. Clearly,
technology may be moving full-steam ahead, but the travelling public
may not yet be on board.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Cox Enterprises, ``2018 Cox Automotive Evolution of Mobility
Study,'' https://d8imphy647
zzg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-Cox-Automotive-
Evolution-of-Mobility-Study_Autonomous-Vehicles-Research-FINAL.pdf,
(August 2018).
\3\ AAA, ``Americans Feel Unsafe Sharing the Road with Fully Self-
Driving Cars,'' https://newsroom.aaa.com/2017/03/americans-feel-unsafe-
sharing-road-fully-self-driving-cars/, (March 7, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We must collaboratively work together to educate the public about
emerging transportation technologies such as connected and autonomous
vehicles and better explain their benefits and how they will transform
transportation. We need to enable our constituents to experience these
advanced technologies in-person, so they are comfortable with the
changes that are coming.
As driving continues to become less burdensome, motorists may be
more inclined to get inside their vehicles and commute, adding miles
traveled to the infrastructure requirements. We are already seeing that
to a certain extent with the growing use of ride-hailing companies like
Uber and Lyft.
If autonomous cars are added to the mix, they become even more
attractive transportation options, allowing riders to work and read
while on their commute. Thus, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) will likely
increase as self-driving cars becoming more prevalent, and increased
VMT forces policymakers to strongly consider increased investment and
expansion in smart infrastructure.
As the metropolitan planning organization for the Southern Nevada
region, we have the responsibility to revitalize our infrastructure and
modernize our outmoded transportation system to ensure that we are
accommodating the needs of all roadway users. In some cases throughout
Las Vegas, we can no longer add capacity by adding more roads--so we
must look to technology to help manage congestion and capacity.
Ultimately Building the Transportation of Tomorrow
Over the last decade, we have witnessed technology rapidly
transform mobility; and, as it does, policy and cultural questions
continue to evolve. I assure you that your constituents' expectations
are evolving at a similar, if not faster, clip. It is my sincere hope
that we do not fear this change, but embrace it, by establishing new
funding opportunities, updating regulations, and rethinking planning
practices.
Congress has a significant opportunity, with the upcoming
reauthorization of the FAST Act, to help develop, support, and invest
in the infrastructure of tomorrow that empowers local communities to
partner with the Federal government and private industry to advance
mobility, data, and intelligent transportation systems.
Federal funding for private and public partnerships in this realm
is essential. We need to identify and support flexible policies that
provide additional opportunities to pilot and test new ideas and
technologies. We need workable definitions of public transportation
including the guidelines for funding eligibility and mechanisms. We
need the Federal government to be our invested partners with these new
and innovative approaches. The creation of the Advanced Transportation
and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program, in the FAST
Act, was a good start by providing competitive grants for advanced
transportation technologies to states, local governments, and
transportation agencies. The authorized $60 million a year, however, is
not sufficient to meet the nationwide demand for automated vehicle
deployment.
Additional opportunities are in Senator Cortez Masto's Moving and
Fostering Innovation to Revolutionize Smarter Transportation (Moving
FIRST) Act, Senator Cantwell's Smart Cities and Communities Act of
2017, and Senator Heller's recent Smart Cities amendment to the
Transportation-HUD Appropriations minibus legislation. Senator Cortez
Masto's legislation will enable more communities, regardless of size,
to compete for resources to fund efficient and innovative
transportation projects. The legislation will expand the 2015
Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART)
Cities Challenge administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation,
and its funding can help meet a community's transportation needs and
support the development of groundbreaking partnerships. Senator
Cantwell's legislation will direct the Departments of Commerce, Energy,
HUD and Transportation, and the National Science Foundation to
establish the Interagency Council on Smart Cities to promote
coordination among the Federal agencies on smart cities. The
legislation also requires the council to develop a multiyear strategy
for the coordination of smart cities, the development of partnerships
with the private sector, and the promotion of international
cooperation. In addition, Senator Heller's amendment would require the
U.S. Department of Transportation to engage with and assist local
communities, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional
transportation commissions on advancing Smart City solutions.
In conclusion, the opportunity is real, and the timing could not be
better to embrace it. As communities like ours face the risk and
uncertainty of being among the first to embrace a new brand of urban
mobility, the decisive factor is simple: collaboration. Absent
Congressional support, there is no realistic pathway to think
differently--much less do differently--relative to transportation.
Together, however, the opportunities to improve lives and accelerate
the economy through advanced mobility are boundless.
The Chairman. Thank you, Ms. Quigley.
Mr. Sanford.
STATEMENT OF DAVIS S. SANFORD, CAMPAIGNS LEAD,
NAVAL UNMANNED AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES,
ROLLS-ROYCE MARINE NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Mr. Sanford. Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Cortez Masto,
and Members of the Committee, if the Committee will allow, I
would like to share a short video of our vision for autonomous
ships to set the stage for my testimony.
[Video shown.]
Mr. Sanford. Thank you for allowing me today to come before
you to discuss innovative technologies in the commercial naval
unmanned surface vessel market and potential opportunities and
obstacles in this sector.
By introduction, Rolls-Royce is one of the world's leading
industrial technology companies. Rolls-Royce has more than
6,300 U.S. employees in 27 states supporting civil aerospace
power systems and defense.
Rolls-Royce hardware can be found in more than 90 percent
of the U.S. Navy's surface fleet, on 70 international maritime
forces, and on over 30,000 commercial vessels.
As we look to the next hundred years, we strive to
continuously innovate to provide the best solutions in the
markets we serve. This requires us to anticipate the
opportunities and challenges that our customers will face in
the coming years. We believe that electrification and
digitalization will define the world's future power needs.
Current initiatives, like enhanced engine analytics and
civil aero, will enable greater asset utilization for our
customers, hybrid electric solutions to realize eVTOL in urban
air mobility setting, and advances in digitalization, which is
cultivating the next generation of advanced sensors,
communications, data processing, machine learning, artificial
intelligence, robotics, and additive layer manufacturing.
At Rolls-Royce, we believe these innovations are coming to
reality, culminating in the development of remote and
autonomous shipping that will be safer, more efficient, and
less expensive to build and operate, and our unrivaled
expertise and equipment knowledge will help transfer today's
vessels to tomorrow's needs.
The emerging unmanned maritime market is in the medium-to-
large unmanned surface vessels typically over 90 feet in
length. These vessels are considerably more complicated than
our current unmanned surface vessels on the market and, when
manned, would have licensed mariners operating the bridge and
in a separate set of places mariners and marine engineers
operating critical ship systems, such as engines, generators,
electrical distribution and auxiliary systems.
When discussing the technologies currently developed, find
it useful to think of them in two categories that relate to how
a manned vessel operates: bridge autonomy and ship system
autonomy. Broadly speaking, bridge autonomy technology are
those that reduce or replace activities typically performed by
a vessel's deck officers. These activities include voyage
planning, autonomous navigation, real-time situational
awareness, and autonomous communications to name a few.
Ship system autonomous technology seeks to reduce or
replace activities typically completed by a vessel's marine
engineers. An autonomous machinery controller system will make
decisions that a typical marine engineer onboard a vessel would
make.
Shore-side remote operating centers will oversee the
vessels while at sea and will remotely operate the vessels when
near port or under other circumstances. Such centers are
expected to be manned by professional mariners as ships are
operated today but they'll return home after each shift rather
than after months at sea.
Maritime academies will need to adapt their curriculums to
meet the demand for the new class of sailor.
We at Rolls-Royce believe that these and other emerging
technologies hold great promise for a positive impact
throughout the marine industry.
In terms of safety, more than 70 percent of all marine
accidents are the result of human error or interference. Having
autonomous vessels that do not fatigue or lose concentration,
we expect ship accidents to be reduced but not eliminated.
Cost savings will be another driver for the commercial
industry to invest in autonomous vessels. Through improved
vessel efficiency, reliability, and availability, total
transportation costs could decrease by 20 percent.
Emerging and existing risks will continue to be an issue in
the maritime industry, such as cyber attacks and boarding by
unknown entities at sea.
Looking to application of these emerging technologies,
Rolls-Royce is collaborating with Switzer, a Danish global
towage operator, in demonstrating the world's first remotely
operated commercial vessel, a 91-foot tug located in
Copenhagen.
The U.S. Navy, through its unmanned vessel Seahunter, the
upcoming Overlord Program, and other autonomous vessel
programs, is researching the potential of medium and large
unmanned surface vessels and how they'll be utilized for future
naval operations.
However, we as an industry face challenges in the
development of future unmanned surface vessels, including
maritime regulation, export controls, insurance, and
communication band width, to name a few.
These are the challenges we face. These are the
opportunities we see.
Once again, I thank the Committee for allowing me to brief
its members on the promise of unmanned commercial and naval
vessels. It's critical for the U.S. Government, including our
representatives in Congress, and the domestic shipping
industry, to begin to develop a roadmap that logically
addresses both the opportunities for and the barriers to the
development of medium and large unmanned surface vessels.
We would respectfully suggest that collaboration is a
keystone when it comes to modifying existing rules and
regulations and developing new policies into the exciting
future in the marine sector.
I stand by ready to take any questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Sanford follows:]
Prepared Statement of Davis S. Sanford, Campaigns Lead, Naval Unmanned
and Future Technologies, Rolls-Royce Marine North America, Inc.
Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson and Members of the Committee,
thank you for allowing me to come before you today to discuss
innovative technologies in commercial and naval unmanned and autonomous
surface vessels; and to offer a perspective on the current
opportunities and obstacles that industry anticipates as these next
generation ships and systems move closer to becoming a widespread
reality.
Rolls-Royce is one of the world's leading industrial technology
companies pioneering cutting-edge technologies that deliver the
cleanest, safest and most competitive solutions to our planet's vital
power needs across land, sea, and air.
With operations in the United States for over 100 years, Rolls-
Royce has more than 6,300 employees across 27 states; producing state-
of-the-art engines and propulsion systems. In addition to powering some
of the world's foremost civilian aircraft, we provide U.S. engineered
power systems and equipment for a number of Department of Defense
aviation platforms, including the C-130 transport; the V-22 Osprey tilt
rotor; the unmanned Global Hawk and Triton; and the short take off and
vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 Lightning II.
In addition to powering 70 international maritime forces, and on
over 30,000 commercial vessels, Rolls-Royce is a proud provider of
power products to the United State Navy and Coast Guard. Our hardware
can be found on the Nation's most capable ships, including the Nimitz
and Ford class aircraft carriers; Arleigh Burke and Zumwalt Class
destroyers; both variants of the Navy's Littoral Combat Ships; and the
Coast Guard's National Security, Offshore Patrol, and Fast Response
cutters. In fact, more than ninety percent of the Navy's battle force
ships are driven by propellers crafted in the Rolls-Royce propeller
foundry in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Rolls-Royce is at the forefront of innovation and experience in the
maritime sector. Today, the Rolls-Royce Ship Intelligence group already
delivers multifaceted enhancements in vessel performance, operation and
safety, and it will continue to play a role in redefining the industry
as we move toward a more remote and autonomous world. Rolls-Royce
believes remote and autonomous ships will be safer, more efficient and
cheaper to build and operate. Our unrivalled expertise and equipment
knowledge will help transform today's vessels for tomorrow's needs.
Current Developing Technologies
Worldwide, there are over 100 companies working on small unmanned
surface vessels, ranging in size from a few feet up to 50 feet in
length. Each ship has demonstrated differing abilities to operate
without human input in applications ranging from recreation and
commercial, to defense and security operations. Looking to the emerging
unmanned surface market, these vessels are in the medium to large size,
typically over 90 feet in length. These vessels are considerably more
complicated, and, when manned, have licensed mariners operating the
bridge, and a separate set of licensed marine engineers operating
critical ship systems, including engines, electrical plant, cargo
handling, and ballasting operations.
When discussing the technologies under development, it is useful to
think of them in two categories that relate to how a manned vessel
operates: bridge autonomy and ship system autonomy.
Bridge Autonomy
Bridge autonomy technologies will reduce or replace activities
typically performed by a vessel's deck officers. These activities
include; mission planning, autonomous navigation, situational
awareness, and communications. Mission planning defines where the
vessel is going and how it will get there. Autonomous navigation is the
system programmed to execute the mission plan, including adherence to
the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
(COLREGS), cognizance of navigational aids, and obstacle avoidance.
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Reduced Visibility Environment
Situational awareness tools include radar, LiDAR (light detection
and ranging), video, thermal imaging, and Automatic Identification
System (AIS), allowing the vessel to identify and avoid other vessels
and obstacles.
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Intelligent Awareness
The situational awareness data feeds into the autonomous navigation
system, enabling it to safely execute the mission. Despite the vastness
of the open ocean, the sea is a constantly moving body, with vessels
operating at different speeds and traveling in all directions. This
greatly increases the complexity built into an unmanned vessel so that
it may operate autonomously.
Autonomous Ship Communications includes transmissions with other
vessels, both manned and unmanned, via VHF, and communications to shore
facilities through VHF, cellular networks, and/or satellite
communications. It is critical for cyber security be built into all
autonomy systems at the beginning to ensure that the vessels cannot be
hacked or taken over by third parties.
Ship System Autonomy
Ship system autonomous technology applications reduce or replace
activities typically completed by the vessel's marine engineers. The
primary system performing this function is an autonomous machinery
control system, designed to execute the decisions that a typical on
board marine engineer would make based on standard bridge operations.
These include but are not limited to, speed and direction, maintenance
of ship system requirements, equipment availability, and system
troubleshooting, among many others. The machinery control system uses
energy management, equipment health monitoring, propulsion control, and
integrated platform management systems and other enabling technologies
to monitor, control and direct the on board ship systems (ie power
generation, propulsion, electrical distribution, ballast, lighting,
lubrication, fuel, cooling, steering, and water).
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Ship System Autonomy Network
Energy management technology monitors and compares the current
operational profile of a vessel and assesses how it might more
efficiently operate. An example of this would be an adjustment of
vessel speed to enable the propulsion plant to run at peak performance.
Similar to equipment deployed in the Rolls-Royce powered civil aviation
fleet, equipment health monitoring surveys the ship's systems to ensure
that they are operating properly, and to identify potential issues that
may forecast a system shutdown. A propulsion system equipment health
monitoring system could identify a fault in an engine lubricating oil
system, shutting the unit down to prevent an engine failure.
Additionally, if an engine shut down could potentially result in the
vessel's grounding, or result in a similarly dangerous situation, the
autonomous machinery controller, through communication with the
autonomous navigation system, could independently make the decision to
operate the engine until the risk has passed.
The continued development and operation of ships with electric
propulsion systems will lead to improved reliability, reduced
maintenance, and improved energy efficiency throughout the ship. These
technologies complement those being developed for the autonomous
operation of unmanned surface vessels.
Shore Side Operations
Currently under development, shore side remote operating centers
may have the capability of performing many of the operations and system
maintenance functions for certain cargo ships and other vessels. These
centers will be manned by professional mariners and engineers, on-hand
to support unmanned fleet operations.
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Roll-Royce Remote Operating Center Concept
As envisioned, mariners could monitor vessel operations from a
supervisory position and take over remote operation of the vessel when
near port, or if other circumstances require. It is also conceivable
that harbor pilots will be able to take command of arriving vessels
sailing into port, thus removing the risk associated with a pilot
transferring to a ship at sea, and potentially improving the efficiency
of bringing a ship into port. System monitoring, data analysis, and
failure diagnosis of equipment operating on vessels at sea, performed
by maritime professionals, may also be performed at these facilities.
Impact of Emerging Technologies
These technologies are expected to positively improve safety and
increase efficiencies benefiting the marine industry. In terms of
safety, it is notable that more than 70 percent \1\ of all marine
accidents are the result of human error or interference. By reducing or
eliminating the number of people operating a vessel, it's expected
there will be fewer accidents. However, autonomous ship systems are not
failsafe and autonomous systems will not reduce the accident rate to
zero as the acceptance and use of autonomous ships may also result in
new types of accidents.
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\1\ European Maritime Safety Agency Annual Report 2015
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Rolls-Royce Autonomous Container Ship Concept
Cost savings will be another driver for the commercial industry to
invest in autonomous vessels. Through improved vessel efficiency,
reliability, and availability, it is estimated that transportation
costs could decrease by 20 percent. Cost savings can be found through
lower power usage and demand, fewer operating and hotel load systems,
elimination of the deck house, and a consequent reduction in the number
of systems requiring maintenance at sea.
Despite these advances, there are and will continue to be shipping
activities that require a full crew, maintaining humans in the loop,
particularly for shipborne activities that might be considered higher
risk or labor intensive. Examples would include passenger vessels,
oilfield service and crew boats, and ships carrying hazardous
materials. In some of these applications, however, automating systems
like navigation may still be possible.
In evaluating the impact of emerging technology, the improved
quality of life for the mariner is a very important factor to consider.
Instead of spending several months at sea and away from home, mariners
will have the option to pursue a career allowing them to work shore
side, returning home after a scheduled work shift. As autonomous ship
systems make the inevitable transition from commercial to military
applications, specialty vessels may be fielded and autonomously
missionized or remotely operated for dangerous or repetitive
operations. Examples include ISR operations in hostile waters, border
security, search and rescue, and drug smuggling detection and
interdiction.
Risks to Maritime Industry
The acceptance and adoption of commercial autonomous ships and ship
intelligence systems carries both risks and opportunities for the
maritime industry. The greatest risk may be that of a cyber-attack,
whereby a foreign or independent actor takes control of an unmanned
vessel for ransom, theft, or terrorist purposes. In addition to
hardening shore side and shipboard control systems, vessels must also
be designed to thwart or prevent ship boardings at sea.
There is also a potential impact to the number of licensed U.S.
mariners that may be at sea at any one time. With an increased use of
automation and autonomous technologies for shipping and ship
operations, licensed and trained mariners may spend less time at sea as
opportunities are created for them to move off the vessel and into
remote operating centers or other ship support activities. To fill the
need for mariners in the autonomous ship space, maritime academies must
adapt their curricula to meet demand for a new class of sailor.
Applications
Rolls-Royce is a technology leader in the field of autonomous
shipping and ship intelligence systems, and is actively testing and
refining its systems and capabilities. Rolls-Royce is collaborating
with Svitzer, a global towage operator, in demonstrating the world's
first remotely operated commercial vessel, the 91 foot Svitzer Hermod
tugboat. The tug, located in Copenhagen Harbor, demonstrates the
ability of a land based captain to remotely control a working boat and
executing representative tugboat operations from a remote operating
center at the company's headquarters.
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Remote Control Svitzer Hermod Bridge--Rolls-Royce/Svitzer Remote
Operating Center, Copenhagen
Rolls-Royce has also engineered and installed automatic water
crossing systems into vessels operated by Fjord1, a Norwegian passenger
ferry company. These ferries, first delivered in 2017, provide
autonomous, point to point, ferry service for passenger and vehicular
traffic, and rely on a totally electric propulsion system. For these
and other commercial vessels, Rolls-Royce developed and implemented
complementary energy management and equipment health management
systems.
In the not too distant future, the commercial industry is expected
to adopt unmanned surface vessels for container ships, bulk carriers,
and tugs. In the naval and defense market, unmanned surface vessels are
already being studied for broader defensive and offensive operations,
special operations, and fleet auxiliary ships. There are a number of
companies developing technologies and systems for the next generation
of commercial shipping. In fact the Norwegian company Yara is building
the world's first autonomous and fully electric container vessel. It is
expected to begin autonomous operations in 2020.
In the United States, DARPA and the U.S. Navy are leading the
effort to develop and deploy unmanned surface, and subsurface, vessels
for a variety of defensive operations, including anti-submarine, mine
countermeasure, force protection and survey operations., The U.S. Navy
through its ACTUV, Overlord, and other autonomous vessel programs is
researching the limitations and capabilities of medium and large
unmanned surface vessels, and how they will be utilized in future naval
operations.
Barriers to Development
As companies move forward with the development of unmanned surface
vessels, and shipping companies consider integrating autonomous ships
and ship systems into their fleets, it's important to note that there
are maritime regulations, or the lack thereof, that may hinder further
development, and consequent adoption, of these technologies. For
example, the U.S. COLREGS do not allow for the unmanned operation of a
vessel. The Navy, however, has more flexibility in the deployment of
autonomous boats or other vessels. The International Maritime
Organization (IMO) has similar regulations prohibiting unmanned ship
operations. Looking to the future, however, IMO is examining the issues
surrounding autonomous vessel operations and is reviewing the universe
of maritime regulations and how they might be adapted or amended to
satisfy current limitations within ship operations and the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
requirements.
With the exception of the Navy's national defense autonomous
vessels work, much of the medium and large unmanned surface vessel
development and testing is taking place outside of the U.S. Export
control and other perceived restrictions on foreign technologies being
imported into the U.S. have inhibited the transfer of autonomous ship
technologies to the United States. Quite frankly, companies are
concerned that technology brought into the U.S. will be unduly
regulated and restricted from selling that commercial technology
abroad. Obviously there is a need to control certain autonomous ship
technologies that have military and national security applications.
However, concern remains that commercial and defense autonomous ship
technology will be looped into a generic category making export
difficult hence dis-incentivising companies from investing in the U.S.
As companies begin investing in autonomous ships and related
technologies, including larger unmanned surface vessels, the insurance
industry must also plan for and create products that will provide
insurance for these vessels, during both development stages and
eventual operation. Lloyd's Register is monitoring the performance of
the Rolls-Royce and the Svitzer remotely operated tug to understand and
evaluate this emerging technology. Within the U.S., insurance companies
and regulators will soon need to take an active role in designing and
implementing policies and regulation for next generation of passenger
and cargo vessels.
As unmanned surface vessels move offshore, the availability of
communication and data transfer bandwidths will be a major limiting
factor for remote, shore side, autonomous ship operation centers, and
their ability to monitor and visualize what is taking place on the
ship. While satellite communications have improved greatly over the
last decade, the bandwidth needed to exchange real-time information as
is currently done with the Svitzer tug, could quickly escalate to a
point countering any efficiency gains.
Closing Thoughts
It is critical for the United States and the domestic shipping
industry to begin developing a roadmap to logically address both the
opportunities for and the barriers to the development of medium and
large unmanned and autonomous surface vessels.
Similar to unmanned aerial systems test ranges, to the extent
possible, certain areas of our national waters might be delineated for
unmanned and autonomous vessels testing. Isolated from recreational
boating and cargo sea lanes, industry, with government support, could
define a controlled area for testing with predetermined rules,
regulations, and monitoring. This would simplify the process for
notification and approval by regulatory bodies, including the Coast
Guard and other state and local marine law enforcement agencies.
To support the development of unmanned and autonomous ship
technologies in the U.S., the Federal Government and industry must
collaborate on the development of new and modified export rules
relative to unmanned surface vessel technologies. Doing so will enable
easier flow of technology between trusted parties, and encourage
further technological innovation and collaboration by the United States
and its allies.
Once again, we thank the Committee for allowing us to brief its
Members on the promise of unmanned autonomous commercial and naval
vessels.
The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Sanford.
Ms. Tolson.
STATEMENT OF LAURIE TOLSON, CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER,
GE TRANSPORTATION
Ms. Tolson. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Cortez Masto, and
Members of the Committee, I'm Laurie Tolson, Chief Digital
Officer for GE Transportation.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify before the
Committee on Emerging Technologies that Will Move America.
Today, I will talk about one of our most exciting digital
success stories, the Port Optimizer. This optimizer applies GE
innovation in solving the logistics challenges which face our
country's major ports.
First, let me provide some context. In the wake of
unprecedented changes in the maritime shipping industry and the
West Coast congestion of 2014 and 2015, consistency emerged
that more efficiency cargo handling was possible through
improved information sharing and collaboration among supply
chain actors.
Against this backdrop, GE Transportation partnered with the
Port of Los Angeles, the largest container port in the U.S., to
take a huge digital leap forward in the movement of goods.
We started with the basic question. What if ports have
forward visibility to arriving vessels as far as two weeks
ahead of time versus the 2-days we experience now in the
current process?
We tested this at the port and we found that this advanced
visibility allows for better planning and predictability,
making for a more efficient supply chain, and in late 2016, we
partnered to develop a common portal that provided secure real-
time access to cargo data.
The custom-build application was piloted by the port's
largest terminal with two of the largest shipping lines, Maersk
and MCO. Participants also included beneficial cargo owners,
like Walmart, Target, and Nike, trucking companies, UP and
BNSF, chassis providers, and the largest marine terminal port
operator in the port, AP Moller.
Based on that pilot, the port estimates that complete
implementation of the solution would yield 10 percent
improvement in throughput and up to 12 percent increase in
productivity as trucks reduce their turn times, railroads plan
train schedules better, cargo moves faster, and containers
receive fewer touches as they go throughout the process.
From that successful pilot, we entered into a longer-term
partnership with the port to develop and deploy what is now the
Port Optimizer. By integrating data from an across-the-port
ecosystem and combining machine learning and deep domain
expertise, the optimizer helps supply chain monitor and respond
to dynamic conditions, better align people and resources, and
proactively communicate across functions.
Let me highlight a few of the benefits to key stakeholders,
benefits to truckers. The port's average turn time for trucks
is about 70-80 minutes, which is quite long. This needs to come
down to afford drivers the ability to earn sufficient
compensation, maintain and reinvest in their equipment, and
ensure a sustainable carriage fleet.
Our solution will help by allowing the trucking community
to plan ahead with labor and equipment, make operational
decisions based on incoming volume, and better planned
dispatch. We can do this by, first, providing single source of
information for trucking companies who plan container drop-offs
and pickups. Today, they have to monitor 13 different websites
to get this information.
Second, by enabling truck appointments to be made in one
place in a standard way and allowing trucking companies to make
same-day changes, the appointments can be better handled. Right
now, if there's a missed appointment, it's very costly to
rebook, takes time and resources.
Benefits to the environment. The efficiency has a positive
environmental impact. Reduced turn times obviously minimize the
time trucks idle at the port and associated emissions can be
reduced by up to about 40 percent, we're estimating.
Data-sharing allows the container to move through a
terminal with fewer touches, reducing utilization and emissions
from the cargo-handling equipment at the port.
Benefits to rail. There are approximately a hundred trains
about two miles in length that lead the Port of Los Angeles and
Long Beach every day. The railways need to know the volume of
cargo coming their way by destination so they can best arrange
containers on the train, which is called blocking.
The more upfront information we can give the railroads
about where the boxes are ultimately heading, the smarter they
can order that cargo on the train when they build them and
assemble the engine power they need for the length of the train
and the weight, the rail cars and the crews. All this means
more jobs.
Benefits to the terminal operators. If we can facilitate
better sharing between railroads and marine terminal operators,
then the operators can better align their resource plans to
changing rail schedules. The operators can reduce costs, they
can increase their capacity, lower emissions, increase
throughput and create more jobs.
And last in the highlights is benefits to labor. The port
has engaged the local longshoremen's union in the development
and implementation of the pilot from the very beginning. The
union has told us this solution will help and do a better job
in planning and organizing a terminal yard as they work to
discharge a cargo vessel.
Increased efficiency makes us more competitive, drives more
volume, and supports the creation of job growth across the
supply chain. One in nine jobs in Los Angeles are at the port
and it is the biggest employer in California.
Based on these widespread benefits, the Port Optimizer is
now being deployed next door at the Port of Long Beach. We're
continuing to add participants in Los Angeles. We are also
pushing opportunities with other ports in the U.S. and
globally.
There's tremendous interest in the port community for these
types of cost-effective digital solutions. The innovation GE is
driving with the Port Optimizer is unlocking huge operational
capacity at our Nation's ports and across the entire supply
chain.
It is about enabling a dramatically more efficient use of
existing physical infrastructure by harnessing big data
analytics that can expand capacities securely at a fraction of
the cost, helps the environment, and is much quicker to deploy.
This is truly the future happening now.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your
questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Tolson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Laurie Tolson, Chief Digital Officer,
GE Transportation
Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, I am Laurie Tolson, Chief
Digital Officer for GE Transportation. Thank you for the opportunity to
testify before the Committee today on Emerging Technologies That Will
Move America.
Background on GE and GE Transportation
I am thrilled to be here to highlight some of the innovations that
are happening in transportation. GE Transportation is a leading global
technology supplier of equipment, services and digital solutions to the
rail, mining, marine, stationary power and drilling industries. As the
company's Chief Digital Officer, I see innovations in our own business
as well as across the GE Company. From pioneering traffic management
for drones, developing hybrid-electric propulsion to bringing the first
Tier 4 locomotive to market, GE is at the forefront of technology.
Exciting new manufacturing techniques like 3D printing and advancements
in lightweight materials will transform the way we travel, making
transportation safer, more efficient and environmentally sensitive than
today. When we pair state of the art hardware with cutting-edge
software solutions, the possibilities for our customers are endless.
Today I will talk about one of our most exciting digital success
stories--the Port Optimizer.
As GE has looked to focus its business on Aviation, Power and
Renewable Energy, we have been looking for a new home for the GE
Transportation business. You may have seen coverage of our intent to
merge with Wabtec. Wabtec is a natural partner--great for our
customers, great for our employees, and great for the communities in
which we operate.
GE Transportation and Wabtec's businesses are complementary, and
the merger allows us to accelerate innovation and reduce costs,
providing our customers with better solutions.
GE Transportation provides digital solutions to many different
areas across our industry, from train performance to transportation
logistics. With applications in asset performance, train handling,
network optimization and supply chain visibility, we've seen digital
solutions deliver results such as 10-25 percent reduction in mainline
failures, average 10 percent in fuel savings, 10 percent improvement in
network velocity and 40 percent increase in rail volume.
For example, Trip Optimizer, our smart, automated cruise control
system for the rail industry, saves 1 million gallons of fuel per
week. With over 10,000 units deployed, Trip Optimizer is the most
widely used energy management system within the freight rail industry.
Looking more broadly about how we integrate our portfolio of
solutions for impact across the supply chain, we are launching our new
RailConnect Visibility and Planning, which provides a consolidated
dashboard view of the railcar supply chain, enabling cargo owners and
railroads to plan more effectively and facilitate predictability and
efficiency in freight rail.
Port Optimizer Solution
As I mentioned, one of the innovations we are most excited about is
the digital transformation we are facilitating at our Nation's ports.
Think about this as I walk through what we are doing in ports: what if
ports can have forward visibility to arriving vessels as far as two
weeks ahead of arrival, as compared to just two days under the
traditional process? We tested this at the Port of Los Angeles and
found that this visibility allows for better planning and
predictability, making for a more efficient supply chain--one in which
our Nation's shippers can better serve their customers and meet
emerging needs.
As a result, the Port of Los Angeles was able to increase
throughput by 10 percent and productivity by 8-12 percent for ground
transportation. That is the power of digital solutions we are
discussing today.
Port Changes
As you well know, 90 percent of global trade is waterborne. Seaport
cargo activity accounts for 26 percent of U.S. GDP and 23 million
American jobs. As the Nation's gateways to the global economy, seaports
are key enablers of U.S. job creation, economic prosperity and American
competitiveness.
Yet, maritime shipping is undergoing unprecedented change--
including the transition to ultra-large container vessels and the
formation of cargo alliances. These changes create greater complexity
in cargo sorting and handling at major U.S. ports, leading to
suboptimal allocation of equipment and labor, increased cost, and
frustration for cargo owners.
In the wake of the West Coast congestion experienced in 2014-15,
several multi-stakeholder efforts worked to identify solutions,
including the Federal Maritime Commission Supply Chain Innovation Teams
and the Department of Commerce Advisory Committee on Supply Chain
Competitiveness. Consensus emerged that more efficient cargo handling
was possible through improved information sharing and collaboration
among supply chain actors. By eliminating the silos of data that
currently exist along the maritime supply chain and providing timely
information in one place, we can increase throughput efficiency at
major port complexes and provide greater value (i.e., visibility and
predictability) to cargo owners.
Developing digital solutions that drive efficiency by addressing
increasing cargo volumes, capacity constraints, and other operational
challenges at ports will result in game changing economic,
environmental, and safety benefits for business, local and national
economies, investors, and consumers.
Against this backdrop, GE Transportation (GET) saw an opportunity
for this industry--to take a huge digital leap forward in the movement
of goods. I want to tell you about our deployment of a visionary
solution that promises to weave a digital thread across the entire
global supply chain.
Port of Los Angeles Pilot
In late 2016, we partnered with the Port of Los Angeles to develop
a common portal--now known as the GE Port Optimizer--that provides
secure, real-time access to cargo data. The custom-built application
was piloted at POLA's largest terminal, with the 2 largest shipping
lines, Maersk and MSC. Pilot participants also included beneficial
cargo owners (BCOs), trucking companies, the Class I railroads, chassis
providers, and marine terminal operators.
Based on that 2017 pilot, the Port of Los Angeles estimates that
port-wide implementation of the portal would yield a 10 percent
improvement in throughput and an 8-12 percent increase in productivity
as trucks reduce their turn times, railroads plan train schedules more
effectively, cargo moves faster, and lower energy cost and air
emissions as containers receive fewer ``touches'' throughout the
process.
Port of Los Angeles Adoption
With the success of the pilot, we entered into a longer-term
partnership with the Port of Los Angeles to develop and deploy what is
now the Port Optimizer. The Port Optimizer is a cloud-based software
solution that enhances supply chain performance and predictability by
delivering real-time data-driven insights through a single portal to
partners across the supply chain. By integrating data from across the
port ecosystem, and combining machine learning and deep domain
expertise, the Optimizer helps the supply chain monitor and respond to
dynamic conditions, better align people and resources, and proactively
communicate across functions. Key capabilities include:
Greater visibility for improved asset utilization;
Single portal to collaborate with supply chain partners;
Reduced supply chain dislocations by anticipating issues;
and
Increased cargo velocity and improve service delivery
Port Optimizer leverages GET's cloud platform with automated data
ingestion, modeling, API capabilities for more modern and real time
data sharing & visibility, and advanced analytic capabilities.
Additional features under development include export optimization,
chassis availability and ordering, scheduling and truck reservations
systems, empty container optimizations and returns management,
container match back capability, rail optimization, and a Blockchain
application pilot.
Port Optimizer is now being deployed to the rest of the San Pedro
Bay Port Complex. We are not only expanding from our initial pilot at
one terminal in Los Angeles to the entire Port, but also launching a
pilot with three of the six terminals in the Port of Long Beach. We are
continuing to add participants in Los Angeles, with agreement from 95
percent of the major shipping lines and marine terminal operators. And
we are pursuing opportunities with other ports in the U.S. and
globally. There is a tremendous interest in the port community for
these types of cost effective digital solutions.
Our longer-term goal is to have a significant portion of ports
around the world using this platform. As with many digital tools,
especially those using AI and machine learning, the more participation
we have, the richer the data pool and the more value and efficiencies
we can deliver to the global supply chain.
Infrastructure Public Policy Considerations
Ports across the Nation are in need of infrastructure investment.
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) estimates $66
billion in infrastructure needs at the Nation's ports. Digital
infrastructure should be part of the broader infrastructure discussions
especially because solutions like the GE Port Optimizer enable more
efficient use of existing freight infrastructure. They expand capacity
at congested trade corridors and gateways at a fraction of the cost of
building new ``bricks and mortar'' projects and deliver tremendous
value for supply chain users.
As Congress considers infrastructure policies and funding, we
encourage consideration of digital solutions for enhancing the
operations of industrial and critical infrastructure. New digital
industrial and critical infrastructure should complement a range of
infrastructure modernization priorities--including energy
infrastructure, as well as surface transportation, aviation, ports, and
other intermodal freight facilities and systems.
We further encourage Members of Congress to consider the critical
role of communications and wireless connectivity for industrial and
critical infrastructure operators. Access to affordable spectrum for
industrial site specific, private wireless networks will improve
coverage, data capacity, infrastructure reliability and security. We
are an active part of the IIoT Coalition (a group whose members
collectively account for approximately 40 percent of the U.S. economy
and includes entities such as Port of Los Angeles, FedEx, Union
Pacific, Southern Linc and the Utilities and Petroleum industries),
that is engaged with the FCC on finding meaningful policies for
promoting industrial investment in the 3550-3700 MHz Band (or CBRS) for
supporting the deployment of 5G services for use in industrial and
critical infrastructure operations.
Digital industrial and critical infrastructure, a component of the
Internet of Things (IoT), encompasses software solutions that optimize
infrastructure and network performance and outcomes and advanced
private wireless networks that enable secure data communications and
provide infrastructure operators with dedicated bandwidth for their
operations. New infrastructure investment priorities should:
Ensure eligibility of digital industrial infrastructure
across all Federal transportation and power funding and credit
support programs.
Encourage consideration of digital industrial applications--
including software--as natural complements to further public
investments in ``traditional'' brick, mortar, steel, and hard
equipment assets to enhance system performance.
Promote the importance of affordable access to wireless
spectrum licenses for private wireless networks that allow
infrastructure operators to deploy and operate dedicated, site-
specific 5G networks for use in digital industrial and critical
infrastructure operations.
Support testing, evaluation, and deployment of all
technologies that boost infrastructure performance, including
digital, to maximize the value of public investments.
Conclusion
The innovation GE is driving with the Port Optimizer is unlocking
huge operational capacity at our Nation's Ports and across the supply
chain. It is enables a dramatically more efficient use of existing
physical infrastructure by harnessing Big Data analytics that can
expand capacity at a relatively low cost and with much quicker
deployment. This is truly the future happening now.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your questions.
The Chairman. Thank you, Ms. Tolson.
Mr. Raycroft.
STATEMENT OF JOSH RAYCROFT, DIRECTOR, BUSINESS STRATEGY, VIRGIN
HYPERLOOP ONE
Mr. Raycroft. Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Cortez Masto,
and Distinguished Members of the Committee, I want to thank you
for inviting me to testify today, to share with you the very
exciting innovation happening at Virgin Hyperloop One.
My name is Josh Raycroft, and I am the Director of Business
Strategy at our Headquarters in Los Angeles.
Prior to joining Virgin Hyperloop One, I worked as an
engineer at GE Aviation. So it's very gratifying to be able to
testify here alongside GE Transportation and other great
companies and agencies that are at the cutting edge of
transportation technology.
We are a U.S. company that has now grown to 250 employees.
I had the opportunity to watch the company grow from just about
20 about 3 years ago. We are--by far--the leading company in
this space in advancing hyperloop technology, and we have
accomplished amazing achievements that I look forward to
sharing with you this morning.
I will start with a brief definition of the technology. The
term ``hyperloop'' is shorthand for what may be better
described as a low-pressure/high-speed surface transportation
system.
Travel occurs within an enclosure that maintains a very low
atmospheric pressure while the vehicle is pressurized to normal
atmospheric conditions--very similar to what we experience in
commercial aircraft today.
The benefit of the low-pressure environment is that it all
but eliminates aerodynamic drag on the vehicle. This allows it
to reach very high speeds and consume a small amount of energy
while it's traveling along the track.
We use electromagnetic propulsion to move the vehicle and
we use magnetic levitation rather than wheels to allow the
vehicle to glide along the track.
In November 2016, we began to build our first full-scale
and full-system test site. We did that in Nevada, which we're
very happy that the state has been so helpful in that process.
Yes, thanks, Tina.
We call that site Devloop. It's located about 30 miles
north of Las Vegas. This test bed is a 500-meter full-scale
hyperloop incorporating all of the elements of our proprietary
system.
On May 12, 2017, we had our Kitty Hawk moment. We
successfully completed the world's first full system self-
powered hyperloop test run. In December 2017, we reached speeds
up to 240 miles per hour. This gives us high confidence that we
could reach our target speeds up to about 600 miles per hour as
we continue to develop the technology.
I would now like to show you a short video demonstrating
what we've done with these tests.
[Video shown.]
Mr. Raycroft. As you can imagine, as an engineer, that
makes me extremely excited to see how fast our team has been
able to design, build, and test this very exciting new
technology.
While we focused on improving the technology in 2017, we
are now focused on commercializing the technology. We have
started transportation projects with state and local agencies
across the U.S., studying the feasibility of the hyperloop
system in their states and regions.
In Colorado, we are partnering with the state on a
feasibility study. In the Midwest, we are working with Ohio
officials on both a feasibility study and a Tier 1 EIS. In
Missouri, we are partnering with the global engineering firm
Black & Veatch and others to study the feasibility of a
hyperloop along I-70 between St. Louis, Columbia, and Kansas
City, and in Texas, the Dallas-Fort Worth officials announced
that it will conduct a Tier 2 EIS that will consider both
hyperloop and high-speed rail for a 30-mile corridor between
Dallas and Fort Worth.
In addition, the Regional Transportation Council announced
that it will conduct a feasibility study of the longer route
connecting Fort Worth down south to Laredo.
On the Federal side, we plan to expand our engagement with
the DOT and with the FRA, which has jurisdiction over our
system under current law.
Safety has always been our Number 1 priority and it will
continue to be the priority of our engineering team throughout
our commercialization. We also believe that as a railroad under
Federal law, projects utilizing our technology should be
eligible for relevant Federal programs designed to support
these projects, such as RIF, TIFIA, formula and discretionary
grants, as well as other project finance tools.
We believe hyperloop technology would add tremendous value
to our existing transportation system. Hyperloop has the
potential to change not only the way people live and work but
also the movement of cargo and supply chains and distribution
chains.
Time savings will expand opportunities for people and
businesses, allowing people to live in less-densely populated
areas while having access to jobs, services, and entertainment
in the metropolitan areas.
A small business owner could locate his or her company in a
smaller city or a rural area, while still having the same
access to as a company located in the city center.
Hyperloop systems also allow for faster and more reliable
movement of goods and parcels, enabling businesses to react to
supply chain shocks on a more nimble basis.
Virgin Hyperloop One is well on its way to building the
next generation of high-speed ground transport. We have the
opportunity to develop and implement this technology right here
in the United States and we're looking forward to furthering
the dialogue with the Committee as well as with the DOT.
Thank you, Chairman Thune, thank you, Ranking Member Cortez
Masto, for inviting us to testify today.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Raycroft follows:]
Prepared Statement of Josh Raycroft, Director, Business Strategy,
Virgin Hyperloop One
Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson and distinguished members of
the committee, I want to thank you for inviting me to testify today
about the exciting innovation happening at Virgin Hyperloop One.
My name is Josh Raycroft, and I am the Director of Business
Strategy at Virgin Hyperloop One in Los Angeles. Prior to joining
Virgin Hyperloop One, I worked as an engineer at GE Aviation, so it's
very gratifying to be able to testify here along with GE Transportation
and other great companies and agencies on the cutting edge of
transportation technology.
We are a U.S. company that has now grown to nearly 250 employees,
and I have had the unique opportunity to watch the company grow from
just 20 employees when I joined three years ago. We are--by far--the
leading company in the world in advancing hyperloop technology, and in
those three years, we have accomplished amazing achievements that I
look forward to sharing with you this morning.
I will start with a brief definition of hyperloop technology. The
term ``hyperloop'' is shorthand for what may better be described as a
low pressure high speed surface transportation system. Travel occurs
within an enclosure that maintains very low atmospheric pressure while
the vehicle is pressurized to normal atmospheric conditions--much like
a commercial aircraft. The benefit of the low-pressure environment is
that it all but eliminates aerodynamic drag on the vehicle, which
allows it to reach very high speeds and maintain those speeds with much
less energy.
Anecdotally, I would describe the concept as follows: when you are
driving a car and you put your foot on the gas pedal, you accelerate.
When you take your foot off the gas pedal--you begin to decelerate. You
slow down because of the effects of aerodynamic drag. In a hyperloop
environment, the low pressure nearly eliminates the aerodynamic drag,
and when you take your foot off the gas pedal, you can continue to go
fast and maintain your speed for a very long time. Therefore, you can
reach very high speeds on much less power than conventional surface
transportation.
After initial experimentation, evaluation and testing, we settled
on a design for our system that utilizes electromagnetic propulsion to
move the vehicle and magnetic levitation rather than wheels. The
electromagnetic propulsion is similar to an electric car's motor,
except that instead of moving in a rotary fashion to turn the axle, the
motor moves in a linear manner to propel the vehicle forward.
The magnetic levitation system we utilize is dramatically different
from the foreign systems developed many decades ago. Those systems,
while engineering marvels at the time, use massive amounts of
electricity to accomplish their levitation or require extremely precise
construction and maintenance techniques that dramatically increase the
installation and operating costs of the system. By contrast, our
proprietary levitation system operates with larger tolerances on the
track, making it easier to construct and maintain. Furthermore, our
system uses significantly less energy than other maglev systems, making
it less expensive to operate.
In late 2015, we began building the first scaled prototype of our
propulsion system. We demonstrated this to the world in May 2016. In
November 2016, we began to build our first full-scale and full-system
test site, which we call ``DevLoop'' in the desert 30 miles north of
Las Vegas. We built on land controlled by the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), and I want to compliment the state of Nevada and the Nevada
Senators on this committee for the very efficient and effective way
that we were able to move through the permitting process to build and
begin operations on this site. I also want to recognize Tina Quigley,
who is on this panel, for all of her leadership and work with us in
southern Nevada.
We completed the construction of DevLoop within six months and
began testing in May 2017. This test bed is a 500-meter full scale
hyperloop system incorporating all of the elements of the system: A
prototype pod vehicle, a low-pressure enclosure to nearly eliminate
aerodynamic drag on the vehicle, an airlock, magnetic levitation,
electromagnetic propulsion, power electronics and a control system.
Over 400 tests have been performed at DevLoop on all aspects of the
system. On May 12, 2017, we had our ``Kitty Hawk'' moment, successfully
completing the world's first full system, self-powered hyperloop test,
marking the inaugural run of this new mode of transportation. In
December 2017, on only 300 meters of acceleration, we reached speeds of
240 mph.
I would now like to show you a short video from these historic
tests.
As you saw in the video, our vehicle is unique. We call our vehicle
a ``pod''. It's not a train. We will run individual pods carrying 20-25
passengers or cargo traveling direct to their destinations on demand.
There are no fixed schedules or stops at intermediate stations. The
pods are moved by centralized and onboard control systems to maximize
the safety and efficiency of the system.
Based on hundreds of tests at the DevLoop site and thousands at our
headquarters in Los Angeles, we have integrated major improvements into
our system. As we move rapidly toward commercialization, we have
started engagement with various agencies across the U.S. studying the
feasibility of a hyperloop system in their state and region. In two
cases, these projects are advancing toward environmental permitting and
the NEPA process.
In Colorado, the Colorado DOT's RoadX program is partnering with
Virgin Hyperloop One to study the feasibility of a statewide hyperloop
network. The engineering firm AECOM is servicing the state and Virgin
Hyperloop One for the study, which is expected to be completed this
Fall.
In the Midwest, we are partnering with the Mid-Ohio Regional
Planning Commission (MORPC) on two projects: A feasibility study of
hyperloop between Pittsburgh, Columbus and Chicago; and a Tier 1
Environmental Impact Statement on the corridor considering both high
speed rail and hyperloop technologies.
In Missouri, Virgin Hyperloop One is partnering with the University
of Missouri System, the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas City
Tech Council and the Missouri Hyperloop Coalition to study the
feasibility of a hyperloop along I-70 in Missouri servicing St. Louis,
Columbia and Kansas City. The global engineering firm Black & Veatch,
based in Kansas City is running the study, which will be completed this
fall.
In Texas, the Dallas-Ft. Worth Regional Transportation Council
(RTC) announced that it will conduct a Tier 1 Environmental Impact
Study (EIS) that will consider both hyperloop and high speed rail for
the 30-mile corridor between Dallas and Ft. Worth. In addition, the RTC
announced that it will conduct a Feasibility Study of a longer route
from Ft. Worth to Laredo. That study will explore both hyperloop and
rail options for the corridor. The sponsors plan to move this project
into an EIS following completion of the Feasibility Study.
On the Federal side, we plan to expand our engagement with the U.S.
Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA), which has jurisdiction over our system under 49 U.S.C.
Sec. 20102 (2)(A). Safety is our number one priority for this system
and is an overwhelming focus of our design engineers. We want to work
with the FRA and this committee to develop the appropriate safety
regulatory framework for our system that will ensure stringent safety
measures.
We also believe that as a ``railroad'' under Federal law, projects
utilizing our technology should be eligible for relevant Federal
programs designed to support these projects, such as RRIF, TIFIA,
formula and discretionary grants and other project finance tools.
Clarity of the Federal regulatory and financing framework for this
system should be a high priority for USDOT and FRA because of the
transformative potential of this American technology.
We believe hyperloop technology would add tremendous value to our
existing transportation system. Today, our road, port, airport and rail
systems face congestion and capacity challenges. The addition of
hyperloop systems would address these and other issues our
transportation system faces.
Hyperloop has the potential to change not only the way people live
and work, but also the movement of cargo in supply and distribution
chains. Speed and time savings will expand opportunities for people and
businesses, allowing people to live in less densely populated
communities while having access to jobs, services, and entertainment in
central metro areas. Furthermore, a small business owner could locate
his or her company in a smaller city or rural area but still have the
same access as a company located in a city center. Hyperloop systems
also allow for faster and more reliable movement of goods and parcels,
enabling businesses to react to supply chain shocks on a more nimble
basis. We are working with port operators and rail companies to study
and operationalize some of these exciting cargo concepts.
Virgin Hyperloop One is well on its way to building the next
generation of high speed ground transport. We have an opportunity to
develop and implement this technology here right here in the United
States. We look forward to working more with this committee and USDOT
as we commercialize our technology.
Thank you Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson for inviting us
to testify today.
The Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Raycroft, and I think we
overlooked the Senator from Nevada.
Senator Cortez Masto. No, Mr. Chair, thank you. I so
appreciate you giving me the opportunity for an introduction,
but I think they've taken care of it themselves, as you can
see. I'm very excited to have representatives--actually,
there's three on the panel right now that have a footprint in
Nevada in some form or fashion. So thank you for the
opportunity.
The Chairman. Thanks. I have a question for following up on
your remarks there, Mr. Raycroft.
As innovative transportation technology is being developed
by Virgin Hyperloop One begin to move beyond this demonstration
phase, one of the key questions which I think you alluded to is
how hyperloop fits into the current regulatory framework, and
your testimony mentioned that you believe that hyperloop should
be considered a railroad under Federal law.
If Hyperloop is considered a railroad, what does that mean
from a safety perspective?
Mr. Raycroft. As I mentioned under current law, that's how
we read that we would fall within the FRA's jurisdiction.
We acknowledge that there are many aspects of our
technology that might not neatly well within that framework.
That said, we know that the FRA has begun implementing more
systems safety approach through programs. We think that that
could help bridge the gap and we're looking forward to engaging
with them further in discussion to understand how we take this
forward.
The Chairman. If some of the traditional safety regulations
don't neatly apply to hyperloop, in your view, how should the
Federal Railroad Administration, as a safety regulator,
consider your new technology? You kind of touched on that but
maybe if you could drill down a little bit on that.
Mr. Raycroft. Yes. Certain aspects fit very nicely within
that framework. There are other aspects, think of the vehicle
that you saw in the video, that resemble commercial aircraft
today and so there's certain elements that engagement with some
other agencies within the DOT could make sense and we want to
engage in those discussions to ensure that we ensure safety.
That has been our Number 1 priority as we design the system,
but also allowing innovation to move forward.
The Chairman. And have you looked at other regulatory
frameworks that have been proposed for other new entrants into
the transportation field that have dealt with some of these
similar classification issues and have you learned any lessons?
Are there lessons to be learned for an emerging technology like
hyperloop, based on what you've seen?
Mr. Raycroft. We do think that we are a bit unique. We do
have some challenges in that we are really a new mode of
transportation. We can look at unmanned aerial systems and
vertical take-off and landing aircraft and, to the best of my
knowledge, that falls within the FAA. We can look at autonomous
vehicles and they're vehicles for us.
We are taking aspects of different types of technologies.
So it is a bit more challenging. That's why we need to engage
in discussions. The lesson learned that we've taken away from
this is that we need to engage early. The earlier we engage
with the regulators, the earlier we can make sure that all
aspects of safety are being considered from the get-go and so
that's our plan.
The Chairman. Ms. Tolson, I know that the Port Optimizer's
up and running at many of the Port of Los Angeles terminals and
more recently with the new pilot at the Port of Long Beach.
Your testimony mentioned, based on preliminary results,
that the optimizer could achieve a 10 percent increase in
throughput, which would be really remarkable, if achieved.
What are GE's plans to expand the technology to other
facilities and ports in the country, and what do you see as the
impediments to that sort of expansion?
Ms. Tolson. There has been a lot of interest and we're
talking to several ports across the country of how to apply and
implement this technology.
We're concentrating right now focused on making sure that
this deploys properly and works really well at Port of Long
Beach and the Port of Los Angeles.
As far as impediments, there are always funding challenges.
I mean, the ports need funding to help put these into place,
but as far as other impediments, we're not really running into
a lot. It's really the community acceptance. Sharing of data is
somewhat new and to many of them, if the operators work within
a port system and breaking down those silos has been probably
the biggest challenge we've run into, and this is why it was
really important to spend the time with the key stakeholders,
you know, getting their inputs and helping them actually design
this solution.
That was a key element in making sure it was useful, it
would be more accepted, and that it would be effective once it
is rolled out. So it's really promising. We're seeing great
results. The Port of Long Beach is well underway as far as a
pilot and we expect to see this completed and done by the end
of this year and then we'll move on and expand outside of those
two ports.
The Chairman. Could you speak to how you're conducting
outreach to shippers to be a part of that tool and particularly
small companies that import and export that may not have much
visibility into the supply chain?
Ms. Tolson. You know, this is a good question. We've worked
with the biggest shipping lines, you know, Maersk, MCO, and
several others, to get access to data and make sure that it's
secure. This was a high priority for everybody that we talked
to, and in conversations with their stakeholders, how does that
benefit them, right? How would they actually participate, and
it really comes through to how they interact with scheduling
systems that are used throughout the supply chain.
The more we expand this, the product itself is very
extensible, it's API-driven, so you can add extensions to other
systems, so that everybody can have access to certain types of
data in a secure way. So that's how we're helping to address
that.
The Chairman. OK. Thank you.
Senator Cortez Masto.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.
Ms. Quigley, let me start with you. Can you further
elaborate or just describe the specific local challenges that
you're addressing with your efforts to employ smart
transportation?
Ms. Quigley. Sure. Our challenges are probably not much
different than any community's, although ours may be
exacerbated in some areas, but safety, congestion, and
capacity, and limited resources to enhance those are our
challenges.
So testing, deploying these new technologies is a way for
us to enhance capacity, reduce congestion, and increase safety
without having to build additional infrastructure, additional
lane miles, or having additional right-of-way takings,
etcetera.
Senator Cortez Masto. And then you talked a little bit
about the public-private partnerships, which I'm a big
proponent of, but each state is unique in how that relationship
should look.
Can you talk a little bit about that for the state of
Nevada and your involvement in a public-private partnership as
you employ the emerging technology?
Ms. Quigley. So as we're emerging these new technologies,
most of them are in the pilot program or the demonstration
phases, so we can vet them through, and one of the advantages
of having a pilot program or a demonstration program is that
you can work around your existing sometimes stymieing
procurement processes, and it's only after you've vetted and
you've tested that then you can move forward with the more
formal procurement processes. Does that address the question?
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you. Thank you.
And then, Mr. Raycroft, you talked about moving forward
right now in testing the commercialization in certain states.
Let me ask you this. How close is this technology to being
truly available for people, passenger use?
Mr. Raycroft. So right now, the company's working towards
being operational by the mid 2020s.
Senator Cortez Masto. OK. For passenger use?
Mr. Raycroft. For passenger use.
Senator Cortez Masto. And I appreciate the conversation
that you had with the Chair because, as we develop this
emerging technology and get to that point, we are going to have
to be flexible with the different regulatory agencies that are
out there and hopefully addressing the new emerging technology
but still have a safety component and they have to be flexible
with accepting this new emerging technology and thinking about
it in little different ways. Is that what you were trying to
say earlier?
Mr. Raycroft. Of course, yes.
Senator Cortez Masto. OK. Thank you.
The conversation I appreciate, Ms. Tolson, you've talked
about this, as well, which is creating jobs. Part of this and
the use of all of the new technology is how we not only create
jobs but there's always been this discussion about displacement
of workers, as well, and how we should be working to give them
the tools and the skills they need for the use of the
technology because it will create jobs in the future.
Can you talk a little bit about how you've created jobs
with the emerging technology that you're utilizing? I'm going
to ask you to talk a little bit about that.
Mr. Raycroft, as well, could you talk about manufacturing
jobs that could come from the use of your new technology, as
well?
So, Ms. Tolson?
Ms. Tolson. Sure. So what we're seeing is that as you can
get more throughput and more efficiency inside the port,
there's more work to be done. It doesn't slow the shipments
that are coming in. They have more work that gets backed up
than they can handle. So this actually allows more people to
come in, work in this, so you can get that through. That's how
we see it, and this is how the union in the conversations is
panning out.
Senator Cortez Masto. And that's why labor supports it?
Ms. Tolson. Yep. Absolutely.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.
Mr. Raycroft. As you know, we have opened not only our test
facility in North Las Vegas but also a manufacturing facility
where we have--that's where we've manufactured and assembled
the majority of our components that we built into the test site
that you saw on the screen.
As we look to commercialization, as I'm sure you can see,
this is a big system. It's an infrastructure. It involves
vehicles that resemble the aerospace supply chains that we have
in full force out in L.A., that we have throughout the country,
my background at GE, and so we do see that there's a lot of
potential for manufacturing jobs and those jobs would exist not
only during the construction phase of a project where we need
to procure the hardware to build the infrastructure but also
the vehicles, but those jobs will remain for maintenance, for
spare parts over time, and then we will also have, as we
continue to develop the technology and innovate it to new and
enhanced efficiencies and cost points, we will have the
continued need for development manufacturing and so that will
remain and we anticipate fully leveraging our facility in
Nevada.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.
And then, Mr. Sanford, you talked a little bit about
challenges and barriers. Can you elaborate on some of them and
briefly for the Committee?
Mr. Sanford. Sure. So one of the--I think the outstanding
things that's delaying implementation of autonomous ships is
regulations, both with the in-country states and from an
international level.
So one of the requirements of international regulations of
prevention of collisions at sea is to have a look-out on a ship
that requires a manned ship. Right now, there's no rule that
allows you to supplement that person with a video camera for
remote operation or allowing a computer system, an autonomous
system to monitor the ship for safety.
There's also the safety of life at sea requirements, which
is if a ship's in distress, the closest ship comes and provides
support for that ship. How do you handle that with an unmanned
ship that doesn't have a crew onboard to help a distressed
ship? So those two regulations will come about. That's both at
the U.S. level, regulatory level, through U.S. Coast Guard, and
then also at the International Maritime Organization level for
international regulations because they control everything for
the international shipping.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Cortez Masto.
Senator Peters.
STATEMENT OF HON. GARY PETERS,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN
Senator Peters. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to
our panelists here today for your testimony.
As Chairman Thune mentioned in his opening comments, this
Committee has done quite a bit of work on automation autonomy
in terms of vehicles. So it has been interesting to hear
testimony about other forms of transportation, in particular
with seagoing vessels.
So, Mr. Sanford, I wanted to ask you to talk a little bit
about that work and I'm proud in Michigan, in addition to being
a leader when it comes to autonomous vehicles, that we are also
a leader in autonomous marine research, as well.
In fact, Michigan Tech University and the Smart Ships
Coalition has recently launched a Great Lakes Marine Autonomy
Research Site. It's the first freshwater test bed of its kind
in the world. It's called MARS and it's designed to study and
set ground rules for the use of autonomous marine vehicles in
the Great Lakes, allowing private-public collaborators to apply
these technologies as well as test beta operations.
But many of the transportation stakeholders feel that the
U.S. transportation sector, marine transportation sector's
significantly lagging behind both the ground and air sectors in
our country in adopting automation and autonomy, and it seems
as if Europe and specifically the Nordic countries have a
considerable jumpstart on us.
So my first question is, how many of the 100 or so
companies worldwide that are working on autonomous ship
research and development are headquartered here in the United
States, if you know offhand?
Mr. Sanford. I can't give you a true number. I can think of
probably five or six of them without a doubt based in the U.S.
Primarily in the U.S., the autonomous ship area is focused
around defense application, not the commercial, with some use
in surveying of the ships. They're mainly smaller, 40 to 50
feet, in the U.S., looking for mine countermeasure, anti-
submarine warfare-type of work with the U.S. Navy, sponsored
under contracts with like O&R, PMS46, and that's where most of
the focus in the U.S., I believe, has been.
There has been some surveying work done by NOAA with a few
companies, such as ASV Global, which is based over here and in
the U.K.
When you look at the large shipping industry, which is what
I'm here today to talk about, that's primarily been developed
offshore, coming out of the Nordic countries, as you mentioned.
Finland, Sweden, and Norway have been investing in heavily as a
way to kind of reboot and further support their marine industry
that's seen a decline over the last several decades as far as
mariners at sea running ships.
So that's an area I believe we need to focus on in the U.S.
is to help work with that and there are risks and kind of hold-
back from international companies invest in the U.S. has been
export rules and the way that the U.S. tends to view autonomous
technologies and want to export control them. So that has been
an area where I've been as I've tried to import the technology
into the U.S. and develop them here.
My foreign colleagues and other portions of the company
have had to work with them on that to try to overcome that
hesitancy because they're worried that it will be export
controls or their technology will be ITAR and they won't be
able to sell it globally which is where the real money, if you
look at commercial shipping, is right now.
Senator Peters. So do you believe that is the major reason
we only have five or six out of a hundred companies dealing
with autonomy and most of those are defense-related, as you
mentioned? Is it because of that regulation or are there other
regulatory impediments that prevent this from occurring?
Mr. Sanford. Well, there is the ability to test the ships
in an environment out at sea in the U.S. where there's no area
that can really allow for commercial ships to do that without
people onboard.
Right now, they're doing testing usually locally, talking
with Coast Guard to get approval to do that, but they are not
necessarily approved to have controlled areas in seagoing areas
for large ships, if you're talking 200-foot ships, to go out
there and test them at sea. So it's a danger area where you're
liable without really being able to get insurance to back you
up if something were to happen.
Senator Peters. I'd like to follow up on a question Senator
Cortez Masto asked about automation and the impact on jobs
which is something we're always concerned about.
You mentioned in your testimony how we need to train a new
type of sailor going forward. Could you talk a little bit about
the impact of employment when it comes to operating these ships
and what sort of training will be required of folks who may
still be on a ship that's autonomy? Talk through a little bit
about the impact on employment and how we deal with what will
be displacement of current jobs.
Mr. Sanford. Yes, so when you go to fully autonomy ships,
there will be no people onboard. That is the plan. That is how
you're going to make your true savings as far as the ship goes.
As you do that, you're going to displace the people, able
seamen that typically go and maintain the ship while at sea,
handling machine breakdowns. So with the ships, you'll have to
build in redundancy but those jobs will still have to be done.
The ships will have to be maintained but what will happen is
those jobs will be brought shore-side and be maintained at
dockside with the ships being able to go ahead and forecast
what's going to happen, where the maintenance has to be. So
that way it will be more service engineers rather than able
seamen at sea handling the ships from a technical side. They'll
still have to be technical jobs, understand the marine
industry, the engines, and overseeing the ships operating at
sea.
I like to think of it kind of when the ships switched from
sailing ships to steam ships, the seamen went from being
sailors going up the mast to trying to haul in sails in bad
weather to working in steam engines. It's going to be a ship
like that to probably in the industry as far as seamen and
operators of the ships maintaining them, making sure they're
running, but the technical jobs will still be there. They're
just going to be brought shore-side so people don't have to go
to sea for weeks and months at a time to maintain them, keep
them running.
Senator Peters. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Peters.
Senator Hassan.
STATEMENT OF HON. MAGGIE HASSAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
Senator Hassan. Well, thank you, Mr. Chair, and Ranking
Member, and thank you to all of our witnesses for being here
today.
I have a question for the panel. As we discuss the
importance of new technologies that will make our
transportation systems more efficient and safer and overall
more accessible and effective, we also have to work to ensure
that new transportation technologies serve everybody, including
those who experience disabilities.
For many individuals who experience disabilities, access to
transportation can determine whether they can seek employment,
get to the doctors, and be more engaged members of their
communities.
And, Ms. Quigley, you mentioned the pilot you are working
on with Lyft and mentioned that right now it's a non-ADA-
compliant pilot.
But I just wanted to touch on what you see and all of the
panelists see as the opportunity here. I'd like to hear more
about what your companies are working on to expand access for
members of our communities who experience disabilities. What do
you think can be done to focus on or enhance transportation
services for people who experience disabilities and how can
Congress be a partner in that? So why don't we start with you,
Ms. Quigley?
Ms. Quigley. OK. Thank you. Within our industry, certainly
this is a very big conversation, and our industry group, ATA,
the American Transit Association, is working to deal with this,
as well.
At a local level, you're right, our partnership with Lyft
is for non-ADA para-transit trips. That's because that was the
type of business and type of vehicles that they currently
operate.
I didn't mention that we're also starting to have
conversations with another private sector group that has
evolved, emerged specifically to address those who are ADA and
mobility challenged.
It's a local firm called Tango Car, and we hope to have the
same type of partnership with them as we have with Lyft to
provide mobility services on demand, same day, point to point
services for those who do rely on mobility devices.
Senator Hassan. Thank you. That's terrific. Anybody else
want to add anything? Mr. Raycroft.
Mr. Raycroft. Thank you for the question, Senator. You
mentioned access for all.
Senator Hassan. Right.
Mr. Raycroft. That's our goal, and our goal is to not only
connect big metropolitan areas but also to connect with some
smaller places to give opportunities and specifically for those
with a disability.
Think of interacting with our system as being very similar
to walking down the jet bridge to get on an aircraft. We will
have a very similar type of system, very similar type of setup
that makes all of us feel comfortable, including those with
disabilities, to board safely, to feel comfortable once they're
inside the vehicle during the trip, and then on the back end to
get out and be on their way. That is the top priority of ours.
Senator Hassan. OK. Thank you. Anybody else want to add
anything?
[No response.]
Senator Hassan. OK. Thank you. I'll move to my next
question.
I will add that one of the things that I think is a
challenge here is the realization that there are people who use
mobility devices who really can't be separated from the device
itself. So a custom wheelchair that somebody has to be moved
out of to sit in a chair, for instance, in an airplane not only
can get damaged in transport but there are people who can't sit
without their custom equipment. So it is increasingly important
that the technology finds ways to accommodate that custom
equipment along with the person and not see them as separable,
and I think if we can focus on that that would be a big step
forward for a lot of people who face the most challenges.
I wanted to move to something that, Mr. Raycroft, you just
touched on a little bit. As we develop and deploy new forms of
transportation, it's really important to keep the unique needs,
too, of rural America in mind, and I think that that's what you
were just getting at a little bit.
According to the most recent Census, about one in five
Americans live in rural areas, including many of the people I
represent in New Hampshire. These are areas where low
population density and the often large distances between towns
and villages means that transportation is critical to ensure
that people who live in largely rural areas have access to
goods and services.
So to each of you, can you discuss the ways in which your
technologies can help people who live in rural areas by making
it easier for them to travel in order to get from point A to
point B? Why don't we go in reverse order? Mr. Raycroft, if you
want to start.
Mr. Raycroft. Sure. We are designing the system to be
accessible for all. One way that we accomplish that is that
we've designed it to be rather modular, such that we could add
in smaller stations as necessary and they would have on ramps
to merge into the trunk line, very similar to what you see with
highways today. So we've put that as a priority in the design
process itself.
Think about a good example is the project that we're
focused on in Missouri where we're looking to connect Kansas
City to St. Louis in a mere 30 minutes. Imagine being able to
cross the entire state with an intermediate boarding platform
and station in Columbia and being able to connect to that
relatively smaller city and giving people there access to jobs,
services, and entertainment in the other two major cities
within the state.
Senator Hassan. OK. Thank you.
Ms. Tolson. And for us, it's really facilitating the flow
of goods and making sure that we can continue to do that and
create jobs because I didn't mention in the earlier question,
you know, how is it actually growing jobs.
Well, the impact of gaining more throughput through the
ports actually downstream adds jobs. There are three million
jobs that are affected or grown from that supply chain effect
and, you know, giving more efficiency again just helps the flow
of goods to get to their destination.
We work closely with railroads. That's one of our biggest
segments obviously that we serve within Transportation at GE
and finding ways to advance and streamline those types of
operations, making those safer, as you all know with the PTC
efforts that are underway, and getting more automation within
the train itself to make sure that we can continue to deliver
the goods and services timely and improve those efficiencies.
Senator Hassan. Well, thank you, and I see that I'm over,
Mr. Chair, and I'll follow up with the other two panelists on
this issue in writing. Thanks.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Hassan.
Senator Tester.
STATEMENT OF HON. JON TESTER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MONTANA
Senator Tester. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and since I'm the
newest guy on the panel, I kind of like this just shooting
right down the line.
But, look, thank you all for being here. I got a bunch of
questions and I'm going to start with the first one and try to
be as concise as you can.
Each one of you are doing something different in a
different realm, all dealing with efficiency in transportation.
So could you tell me what infrastructure, what infrastructure
that you don't have now that you're going to need in order to
make what you're trying to do a reality? We'll start with you,
Tina.
Ms. Quigley. I would say one of the things that we don't
have that we're going to need is to have clear standards and
definitions as to what infrastructure is, clearly defining
unambiguously the spaces where different types of activities
happen, so where we have pedestrians, where we have bikes,
where we have crosswalks, where we have stop signs.
The more that we can create standards and invest in
infrastructure that is very clear and unambiguous for the
autonomous vehicle to be reading.
Senator Tester. So let me ask you this. Do you have the
infrastructure in place right now for the autonomous vehicles
to work?
Ms. Quigley. I would say that there will be certain
corridors which will be much more appropriate for autonomous
vehicles than other corridors.
Senator Tester. OK. All right. Continue on.
Mr. Sanford. Thank you. So infrastructure we're looking at
is really the shore-side operating centers, so the areas where
the people actually monitor the ships from.
Senator Tester. OK. From a technology standpoint, you can
operate everything you need to do with what's there right now.
You just need the physical structure to be able to----
Mr. Sanford. The biggest infrastructure probably when we're
out at sea is determining how to increase band width to get the
information between the ships and the location.
Senator Tester. OK. All right.
Ms. Tolson. One of the things that we're going to need as
you go further into the inland into America is Spectrum issue
that's at hand right now and having access to that. So that you
have large rail yards, you have different port areas that need
to and want to build their own area networks that are secure
and serve their needs and without that kind of access, it's
going to be very challenging.
Senator Tester. We may get back to that security issue in a
minute. Go ahead.
Ms. Tolson. Yes, and then the other part for us is, you
know, the definition, including digital as part of physical
infrastructure definition.
Senator Tester. Correct. That's correct.
Ms. Tolson. So you can be digitally ready to improve the
infrastructure as it goes forward and that's really important
to us.
Senator Tester. OK.
Mr. Raycroft. I mentioned the regulatory frameworks. I
think that's crucial. To piggyback on Tina's comment about
standards, standards for manufacturing, for example, and
working with the relevant bodies within the U.S. to formulate
those is important for us.
We will continue this development. We have great facilities
in Nevada but we will continue to need more facilities for the
development of the technology. We will need to develop a lot of
software. We'll need a facility to do that as well as testing
and then as far as the actual projects go and the
infrastructure, we want to make sure that we're connecting into
existing infrastructure, like transit. We want to be intermodal
in that way.
Senator Tester. Gotcha. I'm going to stick with you, Josh.
You've got a 500-meter tube now. Is that what I read in your--
OK.
Mr. Raycroft. Correct.
Senator Tester. Do you have any projections on what this
will cost moving forward per mile at this moment in time? I'm
assuming it will decrease with volume?
Mr. Raycroft. It will decrease with volume, decrease with
time as we continue to innovate. What we built in Las Vegas
won't be the final product. That is a development system and
we're continuing to innovate. We will study in detail the
construction costs and the operating costs in each of the
projects.
Senator Tester. Is there a price point which makes this
work as far as construction costs go and which makes it not
work? In other words, is there a price point that says I can't
compete with air, I can't compete with buses, I can't compete
with rail or passenger cars?
Mr. Raycroft. Where now we have validation from third
parties on our cost point, we think that this is a very viable
solution, and given the fact that our system also brings
superior benefits because we can move people even faster.
Senator Tester. So I don't want to put you on the spot, but
have you done that analysis on the metrics of where your price
point needs to be?
Mr. Raycroft. We've done that for some detailed studies
outside of the U.S. and now we're working to refine those
estimates. As you know, these vary by project. So we're working
right now to do that.
Senator Tester. I think it's really cool. I mean, I
remember back when I was a kid, they put those little tubes
full of money and they'd shoot them around the office
buildings. I think it's pretty neat.
You all talk about efficiency and efficiency means cost
savings and one of the biggest cost savings in this--there has
been a couple questions before this. I'm going to word it a
little different--is manpower reductions. I'm not talking about
manpower repurposing. I'm talking about manpower reductions.
Have you--and this may or may not apply to all of you. It
certainly applies to Davis and probably Carrie more than the
other two. But have you guys done any projections on the
percentage of manpower that won't be necessary?
Now I know there will be different people doing different
jobs, but overall if we're going to save money and make it more
efficient, manpower is a big part of that efficiency savings.
Have you done any research to determine what kind of cost
savings there would be in manpower from a percentage
standpoint? In other words, 10 percent less people working,
whether it's sailors, mechanics, whatever it might be?
Mr. Sanford. So I haven't looked at the specific manpower.
That 20 percent I called was looking at the ship operating
costs itself, looking at house loads, exterior cargo you can
put on displaced by all the areas for people and all the
systems that they would take up. That's where we see the
savings as far as transportation goes.
Senator Tester. OK. So would that also flow to the
manpower? There'd be 20 percent less manpower?
Mr. Sanford. I don't believe so. You're still going to have
to have ships manned. It'll be a different type of manning.
Senator Tester. Do you think there will be any savings in
manpower?
Mr. Sanford. I think there will be, but I don't have a
quantitative number for that, no.
Senator Tester. OK.
Mr. Sanford. Let me look into that and I'll see if I can
come up with a number.
Senator Tester. The Chairman is being very generous.
Carrie, really quick, do you have any projections on
manpower?
Ms. Tolson. I do not. I do not have any projections on
that. I can get back to you on that, but we expect there
actually would be growth.
Senator Tester. Oh, really?
Ms. Tolson. Yes.
Senator Tester. OK. Cool. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Tester.
Senator Markey.
STATEMENT OF HON. EDWARD MARKEY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS
Senator Markey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, very much.
Just following up on Senator Tester's question, again my
father was a truck driver. He was a milkman. Then all the
milkmen got laid off, every milkman. No more milk going to
homes. So that's a small example of what can happen as a
transition compared to this massive change which, you know,
you're talking about and just anticipating that dramatic impact
it has on families when something like that happens, you know,
multiplied milkmen times a thousand, right, in terms of all the
people who are going to be impacted. So it's an important
discussion to have, I know, from my own family experience.
As we modernize the infrastructure, put sensors on the
roads, it's going to be very expensive. We already have an
incredible infrastructure backlog in the United States in terms
of investment that should be made to upgrade our roads, our
bridges, our transit.
How would you suggest that we pay for this? Should this be
a Federal program, state by state, or should the individual,
you know,--what's your recommendation, Ms. Quigley? Who pays?
Ms. Quigley. So I would like to reiterate that I truly
believe again technology is the new asphalt and that by
investing in technologies, we have the ability to actually get
more capacity out of certain corridors with a higher rate of
return on investment.
We look to the Feds to be our partners certainly in funding
but we can take a look at the pots of money. Are there
opportunities for shifting away from additional lane miles and
instead enhancing corridors with these new technologies that
will produce the same or enhanced capacities?
Senator Markey. So are you seeing again just a continuation
of the same Federal-state-local partnership with more money
just flowing over into these new modern technologies?
Ms. Quigley. I think that's a great question, and I think
the answer is yes and yet there's more to be done, as well. I
think that the traditional partnerships or certainly in funding
approaches are things we need to consider, but we also from the
Feds not only need funding but we also need help in terms of
the regulatory environment, making sure that we can move these
things forward efficiently, and then, to the extent possible, a
partnership in terms of best practices and ways to really
enhance and educate us as to how we move this forward
efficiently so we are not investing inappropriately in
yesterday's technology, yesterday's infrastructure.
Senator Markey. OK. Great. Thank you. Now as we move in
this direction, as we digitize our roads, our bridges, our
tunnels perhaps, Mr. Raycroft, who knows, it's going to cause
the creation of a massive amount of information about every
person who's driving. It's going to raise privacy issues and
it's going to raise cybersecurity issues, right?
So would any of you like to talk about those issues and how
we should address them in an anticipatory fashion heading
toward this massive potential benefit but also in the digital
era, there's a sinister side to the cyberspace, as well. How do
we build in the protections for people to make sure that
they're not harmed and their privacy is not compromised?
Ms. Tolson. So I'll respond to that first. I think it is
that there is an ever-present threat and it will continue to
persist to have bad actors out there and it is a top priority
for, I think, all of us to ensure that as we expand the use and
identifying data of locations and processes and all the things
that makes, you know, our economy flow, that we protect those.
In everything that we look at, we want to make sure that
you're following this, you're following the standards that are
out there, and that you're doing the job that all of us take
from a technology standpoint very seriously and ensuring that
those are going to hold up and protect you and that you have a
resilience in that, which is why, you know, the Port Optimizer
is FedRAMP-approved, certified, and we follow all those types
of things, but I think this is a topic that will not die down
and we need to be very diligent on ensuring that we've got NIST
standards that continue to evolve and that they are executed.
Senator Markey. Anybody else?
Mr. Sanford. So for cybersecurity, from our point of view,
I think the biggest worry would be if a third party were to
gain control of the ship as it, let's say, entered U.S. waters.
We have a series of cybersecurity built into the systems from
the base level, from their design. Constantly, it's monitoring
itself but also we see that control of the ships would be
passed over to a local area specifically to ensure that the
ship was under control of a U.S. person while it enters the
water to reduce the risk for cybersecurity of somebody trying
to use it for nefarious acts.
Senator Markey. OK. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Markey.
Senator Cantwell.
STATEMENT OF HON. MARIA CANTWELL,
U.S. SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you
and the Ranking Member for holding this important hearing.
It's so important that we keep moving ahead on technology
and my state obviously, Washington, is so excited writ large
because we see so many applications every day that are cost
effective. So we love the Smart Cities Program and we love that
Spokane is working diligently on better street lighting and
that everybody from our utilities there, like Vista and Itron
and others are working together to really help lower costs and
drive efficiency. So we like that and want to see that
continue.
We just had this article come out about electric planes and
the fact that even the aviation sector is looking at
electrification, which is one of the things I wanted to ask the
panel about, is just, you know, I know we have somebody here
from Rolls-Royce and thank you for that focus on the maritime
sector because we have to drive efficiencies into the maritime
sector, as well, and there are some good security systems that
people are working on to make sure that those protections are--
nobody can override your system or make it more cyber secure.
But how big do you see the transportation sector, the rest
of the transportation sector, maritime, aviation, transit, and
the continued electrification of that as a big economic
opportunity to drive efficiencies into our system and growth
opportunities for the U.S.? Anybody who wants to take that?
Ms. Quigley. So I can address it from the transit agency
perspective, and it sounds like you're very knowledgeable, as
well, from the transit agency perspective.
When autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles have become
synonymous pretty much. We know that electric vehicles will be
the autonomous vehicles. The computer can control an
electrically powered system much better than through a fossil
fuel-type system.
I think that the efficiencies that come from electric
vehicles, the ability to operate quieter, cleaner energy,
allows us also to get into communities that we formerly were
challenged in terms of getting into. A lot of communities don't
want to embrace public transit. It is loud. It does create
noise.
When you have an electric vehicle, you create an
environment that is very friendly toward neighborhoods and so
we look forward to eventually adopting more electric vehicles.
Right now in Las Vegas, the environment and the amount of hours
that we demand out of our vehicles has precluded us from being
able to migrate toward electric vehicles. They still have a bit
of maturation to do before we'll be able to do that.
Mr. Sanford. So I am a marine guy, so I know a little bit
about the aero as far as electric work we're doing, but from
the marine side, we currently have our autonomous auto-crossing
technology being employed on zero-emission flow electric
ferries in the Nordic countries for going fjords, improving
efficiency of those ferries that way. We can get the longest
life out of the battery power and without having to have
anything and we also just started a full new battery electric
system for ships to improve efficiency on it. So that's where
we believe the industry's going is to a full electric as far as
marine industry.
Mr. Raycroft. I just wanted to add that when we design the
hyperloop system, we are designing it to be fully electric with
zero-direct emissions. We found that this was desirable by our
customers when we did a study engaging with the Ports of L.A.
and Ports of Long Beach to study the goods movement out of the
port. That was a very important criteria for any technology
that we brought into the area. We feel that's very important
and for all of our projects, we're ensuring that our impact on
the grid is sustainable and what we do to the existing grid,
the existing grid can tolerate the power needs of our system.
Ms. Tolson. So I had mentioned in my written and oral
statements about the emissions that will be reduced through use
of digital tools as the Port Optimizer just from idling trucks
and lowering all of those types of things.
Also, another part of the business, we build locomotives,
and we're working on hybrid systems for that and, you know, the
impact of going from a diesel locomotive to a hybrid and the
emissions that you will get through using the newer locomotives
plus what we're moving to the future will be a big impact and a
positive way to the environment.
Senator Cantwell. Well, I thank all of you for your answer.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the hearing. I don't know what
our intent as a committee is after this, but I just think that
the Government needs to harness the information age, as well,
and what you just discussed are a lot of applications where we
help cities or regions do that and by making these investments
drive down the cost of delivering services and that's a key
thing for us as well as the private sector.
We want everything to become more efficient. So I hope that
our committee and maybe that other committee that you serve on
with me, the Finance Committee, we could keep looking at ways
to move forward and keep incenting smart cities and other
transportation applications because I really do think that
they--I mean, not only as you said, Mr. Sanford, the
Scandinavians are already working on this and have had some
really great success in the maritime sector and we want to
continue to match that.
Thank you.
Ms. Quigley. I'd just like to say thank you to the Senator,
as well. I'm getting familiar with your Interagency Council on
Smart Cities and very much appreciate the focus on partnering
and peer learning as part of that.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Cantwell.
Senator Klobuchar.
STATEMENT OF HON. AMY KLOBUCHAR,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA
Senator Klobuchar. Well, thank you so much, Chairman Thune,
for this hearing and thank you, as well. It's good to see
Senator Cortez Masto, Marie, in the place of honor. Thank you.
As well as Senator Nelson for scheduling this hearing.
I'll start out at home. A lot of questions have been asked.
I was looking over my questions. They all said someone else
asked them, but so no one asked about Duluth, Minnesota, so
I'll start there.
So the Port of Duluth is the largest and busiest port on
the Great Lakes, hosting about 1,000 vessels and an average of
35 million short tons of cargo per year. The port plays an
important role in the region's economy and support industries
from ag to manufacturing.
In March of last year, a new intermodal terminal opened for
Canadian National Railway and Duluth Cargo Connect to improve
the flow of freight in and out of the port.
Ms. Tolson, as port traffic increases, what new technology
solutions can help to support the flow of intermodal cargo?
Ms. Tolson. Thanks for the question. We actually are in a
development phase and partnering with BNSF on a solution that
will actually further optimize intermodal yards and terminals.
This is a system that brings more automation into those
yards so again you don't move things more times than you need
to. It's similar to what I described in the Port Optimizer
tool. We have a system already that does this. It's an older
system that we're adding more functionality so that as these
ports experience growth, further growth in intermodal traffic,
which is up by about 25 percent year over year, it's growing
tremendously and has a big impact on the ports, it's bringing
those types of solutions that have automation into the actual
yards themselves, have the port communities themselves that can
share that information that also helps them organize and plan
and get visibility into how to make the flow of goods move
smoothly and quicker.
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. And along these same lines of
commercial vessels, Mr. Sanford, adequate education and
training is crucial to help ensure that marine engineers have
the necessary skills to safely operate these vessels.
As the technology changes, it's important that the training
keeps pace. Advances in the safety technology will only have a
positive impact if mariners know how to use the technology.
What steps do you believe will be necessary to ensure that
mariners receive adequate training in the new vessel
technology?
Mr. Sanford. So I believe focusing on the maritime
academies will be important. My brother-in-law is a captain on
an oil tanker. So I'm very well aware of the aspects of what
the technology will be doing and what improvements will be
created and necessary training.
I've done work at Mass Maritime, so I've worked with that
group and known a lot of sailors and I think that's a starting
area, and then when you go more to the able seamen and the
people executing the technologies, you're going to continue
needing the engine training and maintenance of all the ships,
though there will be a reduced number of them. That will be
supplied but that will be done on shore. So the transfer of at-
sea work maintenance to shore-side work will need to be
increased and the infrastructure at the ports to be able to do
that.
Senator Klobuchar. Very good. See, I started with these
port things because I knew that Nevada and South Dakota
wouldn't have as much to one-up me on the ports, so really
thought I'd go for that.
But I did have one other question and that's as the--we've
seen this technology, this competitive agenda that we need for
the country, I believe, really focuses a lot on this training
and the infrastructure being up-to-date, but you also need the
way to carry this technology, and Senator Fischer and I had
recently signed into law the MOBILE NOW Act and it would
require the FCC to explore ways to provide incentives for
wireless carriers to lease unused Spectrum to rural or smaller
carriers and we are going to see the demand for Spectrum
increasing as we see more of this technology, especially in
rural areas.
Ms. Tolson, how are the communications needs changing? What
can we do to improve the coverage of data capacity of the
networks? Anyone can answer this, but it's really just focused
on the fact that if we're going to start using precision
agriculture and we're going to have all this updated
transportation, we're going to need the capacity and the data
capacity to make it work.
Ms. Tolson. Absolutely. And it is really important as we
expand back to the amount of information that we're generating
every day, especially, you know, advancement of IoT and devices
and everything that's connected. The needs of the rural areas
especially are going to have is back to having access to the
broadband, you know, the 3550 and up, so that they can actually
have the secure networks, they have the bandwidth, and they can
afford to do the investment. They've already started to make
sure that those are in place in places that they need them
which might not be the case if you're a big telco or others
that doesn't have that kind of incentive.
So it's important to us that we continue to have that
availability, that they can bid on those types of things, that
they can actually create that and do the investment that
they're all willing to make to make that a reality in those
areas.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Very good. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar.
Senator Gardner.
STATEMENT OF HON. CORY GARDNER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM COLORADO
Senator Gardner. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to
the witnesses.
You probably have been frustrated by the number of
witnesses coming in from other hearings. Just when you thought
you were finished, one more question. So I apologize for being
that guy. You were that person, too. That's right, that's
right.
But I do thank you because in Colorado, we've seen
significant growth over the past several years, particularly
along the I-25 corridor, from Pueblo, Colorado, to Fort
Collins, Colorado, where a vast majority of the population in
the state lives, and you would think by perhaps some of the
traffic we face, that damn traffic is actually one word in
Colorado and we have to address solutions to that.
So, Mr. Raycroft, in your written testimony, you talk about
partnerships Virgin Hyperloop One is forging to bolster its
technology. You even recognize, I believe, Ms. Quigley for her
local leadership to advance hyperloop.
You also touched on Hyperloop One's efforts in Colorado,
talked a little bit about that with the Colorado Department of
Transportation, Aecom, an engineering firm, to advance the
hyperloop.
Colorado had other initiatives in place, like its RoadX
Program, that tries to take advantage of different approaches
to transportation solutions because, look, when you have a
state that has some pretty awesome mountains that you have to
travel through, around or by, with a lot of traffic, you're
going to have to find solutions that include ideas other than
just drilling holes through them again because of the cost and
the environmental concerns that that can bring with it.
So could you talk a little bit about how that partnership
is working with the public and private partnerships and the
sectors there?
Mr. Raycroft. Yes. It's been working out great. I think
it's an exemplary case of us working with partnerships, working
with government, with both CDOT as well as with the private
sector and Aecom to develop that feasibility study.
We are looking to build a system that really connects the
state from the south near Colorado Springs up to Fort Collins
and then with a spur that would go out to the mountains. We
could see that being a later phase of that project and so far
we are evaluating what the transformative impact would be
within the state if we could deploy that system.
We look forward to continuing that discussion and exploring
how we could deliver that project through a public-private
partnership because that will be the method we use to deploy
these projects around the country.
Senator Gardner. You talked about the Front Range and we
talked about the mountains and the mountains, of course, have a
lot more tourism and recreational opportunities than perhaps,
say, the Eastern Plains.
How would hyperloop affect or this type of a technology
solution or any future technological innovation in
transportation, how is it going to address those truly rural
areas that maybe don't have a recreation or tourism economy but
are a farm economy and how does transportation solution
innovation affect them?
Mr. Raycroft. From a connectivity and accessibility
standpoint, we think that this will be a huge step forward to
enable businesses that could locate along the Front Range to
have access to whether it's labor pool, whether it's their
supply chains or companies they interact with that are in
Denver. We think that that's very powerful.
And then as far as the interaction with from more of an
environmental standpoint, we are studying that in detail of how
our structure, elevated structure could follow potential
existing rights-of-way to minimize the impact to local
communities.
Senator Gardner. And so I fly into Denver International
Airport. I land. I get on the train, the A Train, and I take it
to downtown or take it somewhere, but I want to get on a
hyperloop to take it over to the mountains. How does the
interface work? How will it work?
Mr. Raycroft. So right now, we're in detailed discussions
with the airport, for example, where we're talking about how we
could be integrated into that A line station to make this a
true multimodal statewide connectivity solution.
Senator Gardner. Very good. And if you talk to folks back
home, and you've heard it, too, in Colorado in your work, the
congestion of traffic, we know the impact it has on families
and their time at home. In Colorado, time means everything,
time with family, time to be outside, time to be at the soccer
games, and obviously it has an impact on our economy, as well.
As the roads tighten up, the congestion tightens up, it has an
impact on freight, mobility, economy.
Department of Transportation's projected that in the year
2040, the number of vehicles making daily trips in the I-25
corridor, which is already congested, could increase by 60
percent. It's a corridor that, as I've said, is already seeing
significant congestion.
So you mentioned the feasibility study for hyperloop in
Colorado in your written testimony. Are you still on track to
release that this fall? Is that the plan?
Mr. Raycroft. Yes. That is the plan. We're very excited to
share the results.
Senator Gardner. I'm looking forward to it, too. Thank you.
Thanks for being part of the solutions.
Mr. Raycroft. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Gardner. I guess it's up to me now. We may have an
additional Senator who's coming to join this. So I appreciate
that.
I don't know if Senator Cortez Masto or Klobuchar, if you
have some questions that you would like to follow up with.
Senator Cortez Masto. Absolutely. Are you kidding? This is
a great conversation, and I've said this before and we touched
on it a little. I'm going to open it up to the panelists
because, as we buildout this infrastructure that we've talked
about that is so necessary for this emerging technology, we
have a great opportunity to incorporate within to that the
cybersecurity piece at the same time.
Senator Markey talked a little bit about that. I don't know
if you can elaborate for us. As you're looking at this emerging
technology, what are you doing in particular to address that
cybersecurity piece of it and how should we at a Federal level
be working with you to help address those issues? Tina, let me
start with you.
Ms. Quigley. Sure. I'll go ahead and comment that certainly
cybersecurity is one of the most important things to consider
as you're deploying this technology.
We feel that using tests, smaller pilot programs is one of
the safest ways to start to advance new technologies, while at
the same time keeping it within a geo-fence, very safe area
that you can monitor and learn from in case of hacking, in case
of risks that you're exposing the public to.
So I very much am a believer in and appreciate our state's
help in doing these small pilot programs to vet and test before
anything is taken larger.
Senator Cortez Masto. So when you're talking about that
vetting and testing, that is including addressing the
cybersecurity piece?
Ms. Quigley. It is, exactly, and that's specifically what
I'm talking about as related to this, yes.
Senator Cortez Masto. OK. And is there anything at a
Federal level we should be doing to support and assist?
Ms. Quigley. Well, I do believe that as part of the AV
START Act that there is quite a bit of conversation related to
cybersecurity.
Senator Cortez Masto. That's right.
Ms. Quigley. Yes. We do appreciate the Feds taking some
leadership on that.
Senator Cortez Masto. Great. Thank you. Anyone else on what
you're doing on cybersecurity piece?
Mr. Raycroft. Yes. From our perspective, as I mentioned,
safety is our first priority. We think cybersecurity is a very
crucial element of that and we know that those risks will
persist, as Laurie mentioned earlier.
So what we're doing is we're ensuring that we're following
the best industry practice. We're also working according to
NIST and making sure that we're with the most modern policy
framework around this and we're also engaging third-party
testers that can come in and try to poke as many holes as they
can and so from that standpoint, we're just trying to prevent
and ensure that if something did happen, we can respond to it
quickly to ensure safety on our system.
Senator Cortez Masto. OK. And let me finally--data
collection. As this emerging technology--as you continue to
test it and look at it for use in everyday jobs and employers
use it, you're collecting data to some extent.
Can you address the data collection piece of it and the
privacy piece, how you secure that, as well, and is there a
privacy issue involved in any of this that you have addressed
or are looking at or anticipate being something that we should
be looking at for the future?
Ms. Quigley. Well, I'll address that. We collect vast
amounts of data, but I can assure you that all the data that we
collect is anonymized. It is truly just telling us that
somebody used the road, what time of day, what conditions,
traffic conditions. Absolutely nothing is tied to personal
ownership of that particular movement.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you.
Ms. Tolson. And for us, we don't have personal information.
This is all cargo-related. So it's less of a concern from a
privacy consumer's perspective, but, you know, securing the
data is very important for us and we've got measures in place
that make sure that the viewers or the personas of people who
work and have access have it just for the data that they're
allowed to actually have access to.
Senator Cortez Masto. Thank you. Thank you.
Senator Gardner. Excellent job, Senator Cortez Masto. Thank
you very much.
And Senator Blumenthal, who is the last last last, I'm
sure.
STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
U.S. SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT
Senator Blumenthal. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Quigley, I'd like to ask you about the NTSB
investigation into self-driving vehicles, specifically the
self-driving shuttle crash in Las Vegas. Would you agree that
it would be helpful to have the results of that investigation,
in fact, very valuable in informing legislation about self-
driving or autonomous vehicles?
Ms. Quigley. I would say that it's important to move
forward, of course, with the NTSB investigation and learn more
about the incident, but I also think that it's equally
important that we continue to test and deploy again in these
safe environments. This particular shuttle operates in a geo-
fenced half mile loop at very slow speeds, but it's only
through these small tests and deployments and dipping our toe
in the water, that we really start to learn how these vehicles
interact in these live environments.
We can test in petri dishes and test in closed environments
but really until it's out there, you're never going to really
be able to progress, we believe, the technology further without
learning now how it operates.
Senator Blumenthal. But wouldn't you agree, Ms. Quigley,
that the results of that investigation would be valuable to
this committee, to our colleagues, in----
Ms. Quigley. I would.
Senator Blumenthal.--working on that legislation?
Ms. Quigley. I would agree.
Senator Blumenthal. And maybe we should postpone voting
until we have the results of that investigation?
Ms. Quigley. Again, I would champion that we do test and
deploy in small safe geo-fenced environments just to really see
how these vehicles are acting in live conditions, but I think
they're both important.
Senator Blumenthal. Do you think the recommendations of the
NTSB ought to be swiftly implemented?
Ms. Quigley. I do.
Senator Blumenthal. Ms. Tolson, last month, as you know,
the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration proposed a rollback of the Clean
Air/Clean Car Standards.
You mentioned in your written testimony that GE has focused
on renewable energy, reducing costs for consumers and
increasing fuel efficiency. Those actions and this
Administration seems to be at odds with industries and
companies like GE that are trying to do the right thing,
preventing climate change and protecting public health and
benefiting consumers and creating jobs.
I wonder if you could tell the Committee how have existing
fuel economy standards resulted in innovation within GE and the
electric vehicle market?
Ms. Tolson. So I'll answer that, you know, to my knowledge
base but we very much focus on across many of our sectors and
including our renewables business in finding ways that we can
actually, you know, get more clean and efficient energy.
As I mentioned earlier, we're also working on having a
hybrid system within locomotives which will have a big impact,
but I believe that, you know, reducing our standards for clean
air are probably working in the wrong direction in that we
continue to find ways to further advance technologies that
will, regardless of the standards, continue to march down that
path of output that doesn't harm the environment, that we have
more efficient use of fuel so you use less.
As a matter of fact, in locomotives, we've got a cruise
control system, for example, that saves 200 million gallons of
diesel fuel a year. So it's really at the core of all we think
about as far as, you know, innovations and continuing to march
down a path of bringing those two, you know, industries,
critical infrastructure industries that we all experience and
interact with every day. So it's important to us.
Senator Blumenthal. Have these rollbacks in the standards
stifled innovation?
Ms. Tolson. You know, I can get back to you with more
details on that. This is a little bit more out of my depth. I
don't know what the direct impact is. I can imagine that
they've had done, but I'll have to get back to you on that.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you. My time has expired anyway.
So I would appreciate your getting back to us.
Thank you, Ms. Tolson and all of the members of the panel.
Senator Gardner. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal. Thanks to
the witnesses for your time and testimony today.
That concludes the hearing. The record will remain open for
two weeks. Members are asked to submit their questions for the
record and your homework assignment is to respond to those
questions in writing as soon as possible to the Committee which
will be made again a part of the record.
Thank you very much for your attendance today.
Senator Blumenthal. Mr. Chairman, if I might just ask----
Senator Gardner. Take back the gavel.
Senator Blumenthal. I ask that a statement from the
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety be included in the
record.
Senator Gardner. Without objection.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you.
[The information referred to follows:]
Prepared Statement of Catherine Chase, President,
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
Introduction
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) is a unique
coalition of public health, safety, and consumer organizations,
insurers and insurance agents that promotes highway and auto safety
through the adoption of Federal and state laws, policies and
regulations. Advocates works to prevent crashes, deaths and injuries
through the advancement of safer vehicles, safer drivers and
passengers, and safer roads and infrastructure.
Motor Vehicle Deaths Remain Unacceptably High
According to the Federal government, each year motor vehicle
crashes kill tens of thousands of people and injure millions more at a
cost to society of over $800 billion.\1\ According to the latest
statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), 37,461 people were killed on our Nation's roads in 2016. This
is an increase of over five percent from 2015,\2\ and it follows a
seven percent increase from 2014 to 2015.\3\
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\1\ The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010
(Revised), HS 812 013, U.S. DOT, NHTSA (May 2015 (Revised)), available
at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf. (NHTSA Cost of Motor
Vehicle Crashes Report).
\2\ Traffic Safety Facts Research Note, 2016 Fatal Motor Vehicle
Crashes: Overview, NHTSA, Oct. 2017, DOT HS 812 456.
\3\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 2015 Motor Vehicle
Crashes: Overview, Report No. DOT HS 812 318, NHTSA (Aug. 2016).
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Advocates Consistently Promotes Proven Technology to Save Lives and
Prevent Injuries
Advocates has always enthusiastically championed vehicle safety
technology and for good reason; it is one of the most effective
strategies for preventing deaths and injuries. NHTSA has estimated that
since 1960, over 600,000 lives have been saved by motor vehicle safety
technologies.\4\ In 1991, Advocates led the coalition that supported
bipartisan legislation that included airbag technology in the
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991.\5\ As
a result, by 1997, every new car sold in the United States was equipped
with a front seat airbag and the lives saved have been significant.
Over the last decade airbags saved approximately 2,500 lives
annually,\6\ and have saved an estimated 47,625 lives since 1987,
according to NHTSA.\7\
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\4\ Lives Saved by Vehicle Safety Technologies and Associated
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, 1960 to 2012, DOT HS 812 069
(NHTSA, 2015); See also, NHTSA AV Policy, Executive Summary, p. 5
endnote 1.
\5\ Pub. L. 102-240 (Dec. 18, 1991).
\6\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Lives Saved in
2015 by Restraint Use and Minimum-Drinking-Age Laws, NHTSA, Report No.
DOT HS 812 319 (Aug. 2016); National Center for Statistics and Analysis
(2017, October). Lives saved in 2016 by Restraint Use and Minimum-
Drinking-Age Laws (Traffic Safety Facts Crash Stats) Report No. DOT HS
812 454, Washington, DC: NHTSA.
\7\ Traffic Safety Facts 2015, Lives Saved by Restraint Use, and
Additional Lives that Would Have been Saved at 100 Percent Seat Belt
and Motorcycle Helmet Use, 1975-2015, DOT HS 812 384, NHTSA (2017);
National Center for Statistics and Analysis (2017, October). Lives
saved in 2016 by Restraint Use and Minimum-Drinking-Age Laws (Traffic
Safety Facts Crash Stats) Report No. DOT HS 812 454, Washington, DC:
NHTSA.
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Advocates continued to build on this success by supporting
additional lifesaving technologies as standard equipment in all
vehicles in other legislation and regulatory proposals. These efforts
include: tire pressure monitoring systems;\8\ rear outboard 3-point
seat belts;\9\ electronic stability control;\10\ rear seat belt
reminder systems;\11\ rearview cameras;\12\ brake transmission
interlocks;\13\ seat belts on motorcoaches;\14\ and, electronic logging
devices for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).\15\ These safety advances
have saved hundreds of thousands of lives and many have been
accomplished because of bipartisan leadership of Members of the Senate
Commerce Committee.
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\8\ Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and
Documentation (TREAD) Act, Pub. L. 106-414 (Nov. 1, 2000).
\9\ Anton's Law, Pub. L. 107-318 (Dec. 4, 2002).
\10\ Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity
Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), Pub. L. 109-59 (Aug. 10, 2005).
\11\ Id.
\12\ Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007,
Pub. L. 110-189 (Feb. 28, 2008).
\13\ Id.
\14\ Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act,
Pub. L. 112-141 (Jan. 3, 2012).
\15\ Id.
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Additionally, crash avoidance systems, such as automatic emergency
braking (AEB), are critical to the development of autonomous vehicles
(AVs).\16\ This system uses on-board sensors such as radar, cameras or
lasers to detect an imminent crash, warns the driver and applies the
brakes or increases the braking effort if the driver does not take
sufficient action. Research performed by the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety (IIHS) has revealed that AEB decreases front-to-rear
crashes that cause injuries by 56 percent.\17\ These already impressive
safety benefits will be increased by implementing a Federal performance
standard for AEB and requiring that all new vehicles be equipped with
this technology.
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\16\ 80 FR 62487 (Oct. 16, 2015).
\17\ IIHS, Real-world benefits of crash avoidance technologies Fact
Sheet (May 2018).
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The Emerging Technology of Autonomous Vehicles Requires Sensible
Safeguards
Advocates believes that AVs have the potential to make significant
and lasting reductions in the number of deaths and injuries that occur
each year on our Nation's roads. However, deploying AVs before they can
be safely operated on public roads and without commonsense government
oversight and industry accountability is not only reckless and ill-
advised, but it will also substantially reduce public confidence in
this new technology.
Experts and Industry Agree that the Widespread Deployment of Autonomous
Vehicles is Decades Away
The pending AV START Act (American Vision for Safer Transportation
through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies Act, S. 1885) is
being rushed through the Senate to facilitate the large-scale sale of
experimental AV technology. The speed at which this legislation is
being advanced is not aligned with the reality that AVs are a long way
from being ready for prime time.
In fact, a number of auto industry executives have publicly stated
that fully autonomous vehicles are still likely decades away. For
example, Ford Motor Co. CEO Bill Ford, Jr. commented, ``There's been a
lot of over-promising and I think a lot of misinformation that's been
out there. It's really important that we get it right, rather than get
it quickly.'' \18\ Toyota Research Institute CEO Gill Pratt stated,
``It's a mistake to say that the finish line is coming up very soon.
Things are changing rapidly, but this will be a long journey.'' \19\
And, Nissan's Senior Vice President of Connected Vehicles and Mobility
Services Ogi Redzic remarked, ``Say a 2021 target is the example. What
they may be saying is in a little, geofenced area with certain speed
and conditions. If you ask generic statements, like `when will all cars
be driverless?', well of course we are talking about the very distant
future.'' \20\ The primacy of the technology was also underscored by a
recent report by IIHS.\21\ The report stated, a ``production autonomous
vehicle that can go anywhere, anytime isn't available at your local car
dealer and won't be for quite some time. We aren't there yet.'' \22\
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\18\ CBS News, Bill Ford on self-driving cars, his company's future
and the cost of Trump's tariffs (Jun. 20, 2018).
\19\ David Welch and Gabrielle Coppola, Don't Worry, Petrolheads.
Driverless Cars Are Still Years Away, Bloomberg News (Jan. 8, 2018).
\20\ Craig Duff, Nissan says autonomous cars still have a long way
to go, news.com.au (Feb 15, 2018).
\21\ IIHS, Status Report, Reality Check: Research, deadly crashes
show need for caution on road to full autonomy (Aug. 7, 2018).
\22\ Id. at pg. 4.
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The Public is Deeply Skeptical about the Safety of Autonomous Vehicles
Numerous public opinion polls show strong public skepticism and
reticence about AVs.\23\ Those doubts are warranted based on the recent
crashes as well as the past conduct of automakers. Over the last few
years, automakers have hidden from the American public and regulators
safety defects which have led to numerous unacceptable and unnecessary
deaths and injuries and the recall of tens of millions of vehicles.\24\
Consumer acceptance of AV technology is critical to its success and to
fully realizing the lifesaving potential of AVs. Right now families
know that when they go into auto showrooms to buy a new car, the
Federal government has protections in place to ensure their safety.
Similar oversight and regulation are needed for AVs to both assure and
safeguard consumers, especially when considering recent the auto
industry history of defects and cover-ups.
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\23\ Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Public Opinion Polls
Show Deep Skepticism About Autonomous Vehicles (June 2018).
\24\ United States Department of Transportation, NHTSA, Docket No.
NHTSA-2015-0055, Coordinated Remedy Program Proceeding; NHTSA,
safercar.gov, Vehicle Owners, Consumer Alert: GM Ignition Switch Recall
Information; U.S. v. Volkswagen, Case. No. 16-CR-20394 (E.D. Mich.).
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To provide some examples of the numerous recent surveys, in July of
2018, Advocates commissioned an independent public opinion poll \25\
that showed intense apprehension regarding the widespread deployment of
AVs with 69 percent expressing concern about safety. In a May 2018 poll
commissioned by the American Automobile Association (AAA), 73 percent
of American drivers said they would be too afraid to ride in a fully
self-driving vehicle, up from 63 percent in late 2017.\26\ A Reuters/
Ipsos poll found that 67 percent of Americans were uncomfortable with
the idea of riding in self-driving cars.\27\ Lastly, in a May 2018
Public Policy Polling/Consumer Watchdog poll, 80 percent of respondents
agreed that Federal and state governments should regulate driverless
vehicles for the safety of riders, pedestrians and other drivers.\28\
Clearly, the public needs assurances that they will be safe driving in
and around AVs, yet the AV START Act falls short of establishing
safeguards to accomplish this.
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\25\ ORC International, CARAVAN Public Opinion Poll, July 2018
\26\ American Automobile Association (AAA), Driverless Cars Are a
Tough Sell to Americans, May 2018.
\27\ Reuters and Ipsos, Reuters and Ipsos Poll poll of 2,592
participants conducted between Jan. 11-18, 2018, January 2018.
\28\ Consumer Watchdog, As Americans Hit the Road for Memorial Day,
Consumer Watchdog Poll Finds Voters Want Congress to Apply the Brakes
on Driverless Cars, May 2018.
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The Safe Operation of Autonomous Vehicle Systems Has Yet to be Proved
The artificial urgency to deploy immature AVs is disconnected from
public opinion as well as the reality that serious and fatal crashes
have revealed significant flaws in this still developing technology. On
May 7, 2016, in Williston, Florida, a Tesla Model S on ``Autopilot''
struck and passed beneath a semitrailer killing the driver.\29\ On
January 22, 2018, in Culver City, California, another Tesla Model S
operating on ``Autopilot'' collided with a parked fire truck that was
responding to the scene of a separate crash.\30\ Remarkably, neither
the Tesla driver nor any first responders were injured.\31\ On March
18, 2018, in Tempe, Arizona, an Uber test vehicle operating on self-
driving mode struck and killed a pedestrian walking a bicycle.\32\
Then, just a few days later on March 23, 2018, in Mountain View,
California, a Tesla Model X operating on ``Autopilot'' collided with a
safety barrier resulting in the death of the driver.\33\ According to
the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) preliminary report on
the crash, the vehicle was being operated under ``Autopilot'', had
moved out of the lane of travel on its own and accelerated to 70 miles-
per-hour (MPH) before colliding with the barrier.\34\ The collision and
subsequent intense fire closed the freeway for at least five hours.\35\
On May 29, 2018, a Tesla Model S operating on ``Autopilot'' struck a
parked police vehicle in Laguna Beach, California.\36\ Late last month
on August 25, 2018 in San Jose, CA, a Tesla Model S collided with a
fire truck that was stopped in the far right lane with its emergency
lights activated. The NTSB has investigated or is investigating all of
these crashes except the last two.\37\
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\29\ National Transportation Safety Board, Collision Between a Car
Operating With Automated Vehicle Control Systems and a Tractor-
Semitrailer Truck Near Williston, Florida, Report No.: NTSB/HAR-17/02
(Sep. 12, 2017) (NTSB Tesla Crash Report).
\30\ Peter Valdes-Dapena, Tesla in Autopilot mode crashes into fire
truck, CNN Tech, (Jan. 24, 2018).
\31\ Id.
\32\ Everett Rosenfield, Tempe police release video of deadly Uber
accident, CNBC (Mar. 21, 2018).
\33\ David Shephardson, U.S. opens probe into fatal Tesla crash,
fire in California, Reuters (Mar. 27, 2018).
\34\ National Transportation Safety Board, Preliminary Highway
Report, HWY18FH011, Jun. 7, 2018.
\35\ Id.
\36\ Brittny Mejia, Tesla in Autopilot mode crashes into parked
Laguna Beach police cruiser, L.A. Times (May 29, 2018).
\37\ Tatiana Sanchez and Annie Sciacca, Tesla crashes into San Jose
fire truck on Highway 101, The Mercury News (August 27, 2018)
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In addition to the tragic crashes that have already happened
involving autonomous systems, data accumulated from the limited miles
traveled also paints an alarming picture. In 2016, the latest year for
which final data is available, on average a person was killed in a
traffic collision every 84.7 million miles traveled on U.S. roads.\38\
Before the fatal crash in Arizona, Uber had reportedly logged two
million autonomous miles as of the end of 2017 and was predicted to
accrue another one million miles over the next 100 days.\39\ Based on a
simple evaluation of this data, the autonomous Uber had one fatality in
three million miles; that is a fatality rate 28 times that of human
drivers. This analysis highlights just how little proof there is that
these systems are safe. While it must be stated that the Uber crash is
a single data point and may not be necessarily indicative of future
performance statistically, if we are going to ignore this data point,
then AV manufacturers must likewise stop touting the millions of miles
their AVs have driven as evidence of their safety, as they are
currently doing in the voluntary safety self-assessments filed with
NHTSA. The fact is that the industry has yet to prove the safety of
these systems and has yet to even agree upon a metric or method for
comparing the safety of these systems, yet they are pushing to allow
these vehicles into showrooms and onto the roads. Moreover, these
numbers pale in comparison to the more than three trillion miles
traveled by human drivers on U.S. roads each year.\40\
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\38\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2017, October).
2016 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview. (Traffic Safety Facts
Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 812 456). Washington, D.C.: NHTSA.
\39\ Carzon, B., Uber's Self-Driving Cars Hit 2 Million Miles As
Program Regains Momentum, Frobes, (Dec. 22, 2017).
\40\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2017, October).
2016 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview. (Traffic Safety Facts
Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 812 456). Washington, D.C.: NHTSA.
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Similar misdirection about safety performance data has been used in
response to recent crashes involving AVs. After the 2016 fatal Tesla
crash in Florida, the NHTSA Office of Defects and Investigation (ODI)
issued a report which included an analysis of data supplied by Tesla
that showed ``that the Tesla vehicles crash rate dropped by almost 40
percent after Autosteer [a feature of the Autopilot system]
installation.'' \41\ However, included in the ODI report was a critical
footnote that the crash rates reported were ``for all miles travelled
before and after Autopilot installation and are not limited to actual
Autopilot use'' (emphasis added).\42\ Despite this clear statement by
NHTSA, Tesla continues to mischaracterize the ODI analysis in response
to subsequent fatal crashes involving vehicles operating under the
``Autopilot'' system.\43\ NHTSA has since clarified again that the
effectiveness of the ``Autopilot'' system was not evaluated in its
prior investigation, refuting the claims by Tesla.\44\ Moreover, Tesla
was removed as a party to the NTSB investigation of the second fatal
crash involving one of its vehicles shortly after a March blog post
once again made this same claim.\45\
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\41\ NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, ODI Resume:
Investigation PE 16-007.
\42\ NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, ODI Resume:
Investigation PE 16-007.
\43\ Tesla, An Update on Last Week's Accident, Mar. 30, 2018.
\44\ Reuters, `Effectiveness' of Tesla self-driving system was not
assessed in probe: U.S. traffic safety agency, May 2, 2018.
\45\ Levin, A., Beene, R., Tesla Was Kicked Off Fatal Crash Probe
by NTSB, April 12, 2018.
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These types of details matter when it comes to AVs, particularly
when evaluating claims that are made to support their introduction.
Some members of the industry assert that waiting for AV technology to
be perfect would be ``the enemy of the good.'' \46\ In some cases, they
point to a report of the same title by the Rand Corporation (RAND) to
bolster this argument.\47\ In fact, the RAND report concluded that
allowing the deployment of AVs, which have a safety performance that is
just 10 percent better than that of the average human driver, would
save more lives than waiting for a perfectly safe AV.\48\ However, the
critical underpinning of this statement, which is being widely missed
in the use of this report, is that these vehicles are in fact
demonstrably better, even in some minute amount, than human drivers--
this is a fact which has yet to be proved. Again, the industry and
regulators have not even agreed upon the proper metrics for evaluating
the safety performance of an AV, let alone requirements for operation
which would assure that these vehicles are ten percent, one percent, or
even a tenth of a percent better than the average human driver.
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\46\ David Strickland, We Can't Afford to Put Up Any More
Roadblocks on Self-Driving, Morning Consult (Dec. 1, 2017).
\47\ Id.; Kalra, N., Groves, D., The Enemy of the Good: Estimating
the Cost of Waiting for Nearly Perfect Automated Vehicles, RAND Corp.,
2017.
\48\ Id.
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Minimum Performance Standards Have Both Immediate and Long Term
Benefits for Nascent Safety Technologies
Advocates has always supported the introduction of safety
technologies once its benefits have been identified and verified. Often
additional advantages arise out of the widespread implementation of the
base technology. For example, Advocates evaluated an abundance of
research and data demonstrating that installing a rearview camera in
passenger vehicles would help to prevent backover crashes and resultant
deaths and injuries, often to young children and disabled persons.\49\
Advocates, together with others in the safety community especially
KidsAndCars.org and the remarkable families of backover victims, then
fought for a decade in total to obtain a rearview camera requirement
for all new vehicles, which took effect on May 1, 2018. The IIHS
conducted research, published in their November 17, 2016 Status Report,
demonstrating additional benefits of rearview cameras such as reducing
property damage crashes during backing, and assistance with backing
maneuvers such as parking.\50\ Furthermore, if a video sensor stream
was required, including additional driver assistance technologies such
automatic rear braking, parking guidance and automated parking
assistance, even more advantages could be realized.
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\49\ Vehicle Backover Avoidance Technology Study, Report to
Congress, NHTSA (Nov. 2006).
\50\ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Rearview
cameras reduce police-reported backing crashes, Status Report, Vol. 51,
No. 9 (Nov. 17, 2016).
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Similarly, Advocates supported equipping vehicles with anti-lock
braking systems (ABS), which helps a driver to maintain control of the
vehicle when braking on slippery surfaces. ABS has also resulted in
wide ranging benefits. In fact, ABS is the base technology for
electronic stability control (ESC) which helps to prevent rollover and
loss of control crashes and is attributed to having saved more than
7,000 lives since 2011.\51\ The applications which are in ABS and ESC
are also an underlying technology for AVs. A critical component of both
of these safety successes is a Federal standard that ensures these
technologies have a specific level of performance so that consumers can
have confidence in the technology as well as familiarity with a new
feature of their vehicle. Federal standards also pave the way to build
public acceptance and use of these technologies which magnifies the
safety benefits. Effective government oversight and performance
standards are critical to the success of new safety technologies placed
into motor vehicles.
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\51\ Webb, C. N. (2017, March). Estimating Lives Saved by
Electronic Stability Control, 2011-2015. (Traffic Safety Facts Research
Note. Report No. DOT HS 812 391). Washington, D.C.: NHTSA.
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Moreover, examples of the success of effective standards and
oversight of automated systems fly over our heads every single day.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 741 million
passengers traveled on domestic flights in 2017.\52\ The tragic April
2018 death of a Southwest Airlines passenger was the first U.S.
commercial airline fatality since 2009.\53\ Over that same span of time
(2010-2017), nearly 5.4 billion passengers travelled safely through our
skies. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates that airline
pilots use automated systems 90 percent of the time while flying.\54\
Meanwhile, on our roads from 2010 to 2017, crashes claimed the lives of
approximately 275,000 road users.\55\ The Federal government,
particularly the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), has
experience in developing standards and implementing effective oversight
of autonomous systems in transportation. While adaptation for governing
AVs on roads is necessary, this is not an entirely new concept. The
U.S. DOT would do well to coordinate with other departments and its own
agencies, and make the best use of its past research, current
regulations, and the latest technologies to set standards ensuring the
safe introduction of AVs.
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\52\ U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Annual Passengers on
All U.S. Schedules Airline Flights (Domestic & International) and
Foreign Airline Flights to and from the United States, 2003-2017.
\53\ Gardner, L., Southwest passenger dies in first U.S. airline
fatality since 2009, April, 17, 2018, Politico.
\54\ Federal Aviation Administration, Office of the Inspector
General, Audit Report: Enhanced FAA Oversight Could Reduce Hazards
Associated with Increased Use of Flight Deck Automation, Report Number
AV-2016-013, Jan. 7, 2016.
\55\ National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2017). A
Compilation of Motor Vehicle Crash Data from the Fatality Analysis
Reporting System and the General Estimates System.(Traffic Safety Facts
2015. Report No. DOT HS 812 384). Washington, D.C.: NHTSA. National
Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2017, October). 2016 Fatal Motor
Vehicle Crashes: Overview. (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report
No. DOT HS 812 456). Washington, D.C.: National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration. National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2018,
May). Early estimate of motor vehicle traffic fatalities for 2017
(CrashStats Brief Statistical Summary. Report No. DOT HS 812
542). Washington, D.C.: NHTSA.
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Proper Government Oversight is Needed for the Safe Deployment of
Autonomous Vehicles
Over fifty years ago, Congress passed the National Traffic and
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 because of concerns about the death
and injury toll on our highways.\56\ The law required the Federal
Government to establish minimum vehicle safety performance standards to
protect the public against ``unreasonable risk of accidents occurring
as a result of the design, construction or performance of motor
vehicles.'' \57\ While motor vehicles have changed dramatically since
that time and will continue to do so in the future, the underlying
premise of this crucial law and NHTSA's safety mission have not.
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\56\-Pub. L. 89-563 (Sept. 9, 1966).
\57\ Title 49, U.S.C. Sec. 30102.
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Unfortunately, NHTSA has chosen to issue only ``voluntary
guidelines'' for the development of AVs.\58\ Voluntary guidelines are
not enforceable because they are not legally binding, and, therefore,
are inadequate to ensure safety and protect the public. Manufacturers
may unilaterally choose to deviate from the guidelines or ignore them
entirely at any time and for any reason including internal corporate
priorities such as cost or marketing considerations.
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\58\ NHTSA, Automated Driving Systems 2.0: A Vision for Safety
(Sep. 12, 2017).
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The AV START Act Fails to Ensure Public Safety
Compounding NHTSA's inaction are the deep flaws of the AV START
Act. Advocates opposes the bill in its current form as it falls well
short of the oversight and accountability necessary to ensure public
safety. The legislation unnecessarily takes aim at the current Federal
regulatory scheme protecting those traveling on America's roads that
has been in place for decades.
Furthermore, for the Senate to fully consider all of the public
safety implications associated with the mass deployment of AVs, the AV
START Act should not move forward until the ongoing multiple
investigations by the NTSB of the serious and fatal crashes involving
AVs noted above are completed. Our Nation's foremost investigatory body
has highly regarded expertise and will issue recommendations that
should help guide Congress as it sets our Nation's first AV policy
which will likely set the stage for years.
We urge the Senate to adopt the following reasonable improvements
to the bill, which will ensure public safety and industry
accountability, while still allowing for the development and deployment
of AVs:
Reduce the Size and Scope of Exemptions: Section six of the
AV START Act will allow potentially millions of vehicles to be
deployed into the public domain that are exempt from existing
critical Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
Providing broad statutory exemptions from the FMVSS for AVs is
both unnecessary and unwise. There is already a statutory
process in place for manufacturers to seek an exemption from
the FMVSS. Moreover, Section 24404 of the Fixing America's
Surface Transportation (FAST) Act \59\ permits auto
manufacturers to test or evaluate an unlimited number of
vehicles exempt from one or more of the FMVSS.\60\
Additionally, the exemption provision in current law, 49 USC
Section 30113(a), provides that manufacturers may receive an
exemption from compliance with the FMVSS for the sale of 2,500
vehicles to be sold in the United States in any 12-month
period. No evidence has been presented to show that the
development and deployment of AVs requires wholesale exemptions
for an untold number of AVs from critical Federal safety
standards that are essential to protecting public safety.
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\59\ Pub. L. 112-141 (Dec. 4, 2015), codified at 49 U.S.C.
Sec. 30112(b)(10).
\60\ Exempt vehicles under this provision may not be sold or resold
to the public.
Prohibit Crashworthiness and Occupant Protection Exemptions:
The legislation currently contains no prohibition on AVs
receiving an exemption from crashworthiness or occupant
protection standards which protect the vehicle's passengers.
Such exemptions can diminish the level of occupant protection
that has been established through years of research under the
existing regulations.\61\ Prohibiting such exemptions will in
no way inhibit the development of AV technology but will ensure
that passengers of AVs are properly protected in a crash.
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\61\ For example, removing the steering wheel should not eliminate
the requirement to protect the occupant from injury using safety
systems such as airbags.
Strike Provision Allowing Vehicle Systems to be Turned Off:
Section seven of the AV START Act drastically alters current
Federal law which prohibits manufacturers from rendering safety
systems, such as the steering wheel and brake pedals,
inoperable. This provision is a dangerous change in settled law
because it would allow automakers to turn off safety systems
while the AV is being driven by the computer. This could
unnecessarily dilute safety at the discretion of the
manufacturer and sets a precedent of Congress allowing
manufacturers to unilaterally circumvent many of the existing
safety standards. Currently, automakers cannot turn off safety
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
systems without government oversight.
Require Sufficient Documentation in NHTSA Submission:
Section nine of the AV START Act requires manufacturers of AVs
and AV technology to submit to NHTSA a Safety Evaluation Report
(SER) that details the development of the technology and its
expected performance in real world conditions. While Advocates
supports the mandatory submission of such information, this
provision as currently written only directs manufacturers to
``describe'' their AV systems. In the absence of a legislative
directive to require that sufficient information and data are
included in the SER, manufacturers are permitted to continue
submitting slick marketing brochures such as those already
released by three manufacturers \62\ instead of providing data
and documentation that will allow the public and NHTSA to
accurately evaluate the safety of the technology.
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\62\ Waymo, Waymo Safety Report: On the Road to Fully Self-Driving
(Oct. 2017); General Motors, 2018 Self-Driving Safety Report (Jan.
2018); Ford, A Matter of Trust--Ford's Approach to Developing Self-
Driving Vehicles (Aug. 2018).
Provide for Adequate Consumer Information: The AV START Act
should ensure that consumers are given essential information
about an AV. Every manufacturer should be required to provide
each consumer with information about the capabilities,
limitations and exemptions from safety standards for all
vehicles sold in the U.S. at the time of sale. This information
should be made available to consumers from day one, even before
NHTSA issues a rule. NHTSA should also be required to establish
a public website with basic safety information about AVs for
consumers and for use in safety research. This online database
would be similar to the safercar.gov website that NHTSA
maintains to inform the public about safety recalls applicable
to their vehicle. This would enable consumers to enter their
VIN to obtain critical information about their AV such as the
level of automation, any exemptions granted by NHTSA from the
FMVSS, and the operational design domain which includes
limitations and capabilities of each autonomous driving system
with which a vehicle is equipped. Such a database will be
critical for consumers who purchase AVs, whether first-hand or
as a pre-owned vehicle, and will also allow NHTSA and other
research groups to perform independent evaluation of the
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
comparative safety performance of AV systems.
Compel AVs to Capture Necessary Crash Data: The NTSB in
their investigation of the fatal Tesla crash in Florida noted
that event data recorders (EDRs) are not required nor would
current standards mandate the capturing of data necessary to
evaluate the performance of AVs. The AV START Act does not
require that this critical safety data generated by AVs will be
recorded, shared or even provided to NHTSA and the NTSB for
critical crash investigations. It is also essential that the
legislation require all crashes involving AVs be reported
immediately to NHTSA by manufacturers.
Direct Final Rules for Minimum Performance Standards:
Cybersecurity: A failure to adequately secure AV
systems and to protect against cyber-attacks could endanger
AV passengers, non-AV motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists
and other vulnerable roadway users. It could also clog
roads, stop the movement of goods and hinder the responses
of emergency vehicles. The real possibility of a malevolent
computer hack impacting hundreds or thousands of AVs,
perhaps whole model runs, makes strong cybersecurity
protections a crucial element of AV design. Yet, Section 14
of the AV START Act merely requires manufacturers to have a
cybersecurity plan in place with no minimum standards of
protection or effectiveness. Instead, the legislation
should require NHTSA to establish a minimum performance
standard to ensure cybersecurity protections are required
for AVs of all levels. Considering the recent record of
high-profile cyber-attacks,\63\ allowing manufacturers
merely to have a cybersecurity plan in place is grossly
inadequate to ensure that AVs are protected against
potentially catastrophic cyber-attacks and breaches.\64\
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\63\ Stacy Cowley, Equifax Breach Exposed Data From 2.5 Million
More People Than First Disclosed, N.Y. Times, Oct. 3, 2017 at B2.
\64\ Chester Dawson, The Dangers of the Hackable Car, Wall St. J,
Sep. 17, 2017.
Driver Distraction: In AVs that require a human to
take control from the AV system (Levels 2 and 3), the
automated driving system must keep the driver engaged in
the driving task. Research demonstrates that even for a
driver who is alert and performing the dynamic driving
task, there is a delay in reaction time between observing a
safety problem and taking appropriate action.\65\ For a
driver who is disengaged from the driving task during
autonomous operation of a vehicle, that delay will be
longer because the driver must first be alerted to re-
engage, understand the situation, and then take control of
the vehicle before taking appropriate action. The failure
of the automated driving system to keep the driver engaged
in the driving task during the trip was identified as a
problem by the NTSB Tesla crash investigation. The NTSB
found that the Tesla ``Autopilot'' facilitated the driver's
inattention and overreliance on the system, which
ultimately contributed to his death.\66\ The ``Autopilot''
was active for 37 minutes of the 41 minute trip and the
system detected hands on the steering wheel only 7 times
for a total of 25 seconds.\67\ The NTSB also found that
these problems are widespread across manufacturers with
similar systems.\68\ The AV START Act fails to address this
serious safety problem, yet technology to discern
distraction and provide alerts is already available. NHTSA
should be directed to establish a minimum performance
standard to ensure driver engagement throughout the trip.
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\65\ Human Factors, Koppa, R.J., FHWA, Ch.3, Sec. 3.2.1 Perception-
Response Time.
\66\ NTSB Tesla Crash Report.
\67\ Id.
\68\ Id.
Electronics Systems: Motor vehicles and motor vehicle
equipment are powered and run by highly complex electronic
systems and will become even more so with the future
deployment of autonomous driving systems. Interference from
non-safety systems can affect the electronics that power
critical safety systems if they share the same wiring and
circuits. For example, in one reported instance a vehicle
model lost power to its dashboard lights when an MP3 player
was plugged in and used.\69\ Similar to FAA requirements to
protect the electronics and their functions in aircraft
under any foreseeable operating condition,\70\ NHTSA should
require minimum performance standards for the electronics
in all motor vehicles, particularly AVs. However, the AV
START Act fails to direct NHTSA to develop and issue
performance standards for the electronics systems of modern
motor vehicles.
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\69\ General Motors, LLC, Receipt of Petition for Decision of
Inconsequential Noncompliance, NHTSA, 79 FR 10226, Feb. 24, 2014.
\70\ 14 CFR 25.1309.
AV ``Vision Test'': In order for an AV to properly
interact with its surrounding environment, it must not only
detect other vehicles and roadway infrastructure but also
other participants using our Nation's transportation
systems including pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchair
users, construction workers in work zones, first responders
providing assistance after crashes, and law enforcement
officers directing traffic. A failure to properly detect
and react to any of these could have tragic results. AVs
and automated driving systems must be subject to objective
testing to ensure that they properly detect other road
users, as well as pavement markings and infrastructure, can
correctly identify the type of object that has been
detected, and can then also respond properly and safely.
Therefore, the AV START Act should direct the Secretary of
Transportation to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to
require automated driving systems, including SAE Level 2
automated driving systems, to meet a minimum performance
standard for detecting and reacting to the AV's driving
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environment.
Safety and Accessibility for People with Disabilities: The
long-term promise of AVs to improve mobility for those with
disabilities is significant. However, the AV START Act fails to
ensure safety and access to all members of the disability
community who have varying needs.
Include Level 2 AVs: The AV START Act does not include
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Level 2 AVs, which
require a human driver to monitor their performance and be
available to take over the driving task when necessary, like
the Tesla vehicles which have been involved in several crashes.
During a September 12, 2017, hearing on the 2016 crash
conducted by the NTSB, deadly failures of Tesla's Level 2
``Autopilot'' system were readily identified.\71\ The NTSB
found that similar problems also exist in other Level 2 AVs
across many manufacturers.\72\ In the near term, Level 2 AVs
will likely comprise a majority of the passenger vehicle AV
fleet. Proper safeguards to curb Tesla-like failures must be
put in place. Level 2 AVs should be subject to all safety
critical provisions in the AV START Act.
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\71\ Id.
\72\ Id.
Do Not Preempt State Action in the Absence of Federal
Regulations: It is the statutory mission of NHTSA to regulate
the design and performance of motor vehicles to ensure public
safety which, in modern day terms, includes AVs and automated
driving system technology. However, in the absence of
comprehensive Federal standards and regulations to govern the
AV rules of the road, the states have every legal right, indeed
a duty to their citizens; to fill the regulatory vacuum with
state developed proposals and solutions for ensuring public
safety. Section three prohibits this state action.
U.S. DOT Requires Sufficient Funding and Authority to Properly Regulate
Vehicle Safety
As emerging technologies are developed and deployed, the U.S. DOT
is already facing and will continue to confront unique challenges which
warrant additional tools and funding to protect against potentially
catastrophic defects and failures. NHTSA should be granted imminent
hazard authority to expedite the grounding of vehicles that the agency
has identified as having a potentially dangerous, widespread problem or
when it detects a cybersecurity threat that could lead to inordinate
crashes, deaths and injuries. Additionally, because of the potential
serious nature of software defects that could imperil safety in
thousands of vehicles, the ability to levy enhanced penalties is
essential. The unacceptable level of current motor vehicle crashes,
fatalities and injuries combined with the demands being placed on NHTSA
with regard to AV technology necessitates an increase in agency
funding.
Today, 95 percent of transportation-related fatalities and 99
percent of transportation injuries involve motor vehicles on our
streets and highways.\73\ Yet, NHTSA receives only one percent of the
overall DOT budget.\74\ NHTSA will be required to take on new
significant responsibilities under the driverless car legislation. In
order to efficiently execute all of these tasks, an office dedicated to
AV safety should be established within NHTSA. The protection of public
safety should not be compromised and progress should not be slowed
because the agency does not have adequate technical expertise,
organization, resources and funding to oversee the development and
deployment of AVs.
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\73\ National Transportation Statistics 2015, U.S. DOT, RITA, BTS,
Tables 2-1, and 2-2 (2017).
\74\ Budget Highlights Fiscal Year 2018, U.S. DOT.
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Many Significant Obstacles and Uncertainties Remain Regarding the Safe
Deployment of Emerging Technologies
AVs will be operating on public roads, therefore ensuring that our
Nation's infrastructure can accommodate the safe and successful
deployment of AVs is essential. ``Stand-alone'' AVs (those that will
not communicate with other vehicles) will be limited by the capability
of the on-board sensors and therefore, will largely suffer from the
same types of limitations that afflict human drivers.
With the advent of AVs, more emphasis must be placed on consistency
of road design, and consideration must be given to the effects
variations can have on autonomous technology. While a human driver can
see a unique situation and interpret those circumstances fairly well,
an AV may not be able to do the same. As the Senate Committee on
Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)
discussed during the June 13, 2018 hearing, ``Innovation and America's
Infrastructure: Examining the Effects of Emerging Autonomous
Technologies on America's Roads and Bridges'', research has already
shown that minor distortion of a sign can result in havoc for AVs,
causing stop signs to be interpreted as speed limit signs, a confusion
which can have serious and even potentially fatal results.\75\
Additionally, roadway deterioration and delayed repair, which are
common occurrences on existing infrastructure, will have a negative
impact on AV operation.
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\75\ Evtimov, Ivan & Eykholt, Kevin & Fernandes, Earlence & Kohno,
Tadayoshi & Li, Bo & Prakash, Atul & Rahmati, Amir & Song, Dawn.
(2017). Robust Physical-World Attacks on Machine Learning Models.
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Claims made by the AV industry that the introduction of these
vehicles will reduce congestion, improve environmental quality, and
advance transportation efficiency may amount to nothing more than
fanciful theories.\76\ Instead, AVs may bring about so-called ``hyper-
commuters'' who work from their vehicles on long commutes thereby
making living further from offices and/or city centers more palatable.
Likewise, the possibility of empty AVs adding substantial miles on the
roads as they re-position autonomously after dropping off riders could
undermine many of the benefits claimed.\77\
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\76\ Self-Driving Coalition For Safe Streets, FAQs.
\77\ Bliss, L., Even Shared Autonomous Vehicles Could Spell Traffic
Disaster, Citylab, May 10, 2017.
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Connected Vehicle Technology Has the Potential to Augment Safety
Connected vehicle technologies allow a vehicle to send and receive
communications with other vehicles (vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V)) and the
infrastructure (vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I)). These messages can
relay information ranging from the relative location and direction of
motion of other vehicles to warning messages that traffic lights are
about to change or weather conditions are soon to be encountered. These
systems will likely help fill in gaps in the performance of AVs. For
instance, V2V communication can provide safety applications for
advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) such as Left Turn Assist
(LTA) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW). LTA warns drivers to the
presence of oncoming, opposite-direction traffic when attempting a left
turn. FCW warns drivers of stopped, slowing or slower vehicles ahead.
In a 2017 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to require V2V technology,
NHTSA noted that ``[b]ecause of V2V's ability to provide vehicles with
information beyond a vehicle's range of perception, V2V is the only
source of information that supports applications like Intersection
Movement Assist (IMA) and Left Turn Assist (LTA). These applications
have the unique ability to address intersection crashes, which are
among the most deadly crashes that drivers currently face in the U.S.''
\78\ Advocates filed comments in support of requiring V2V because of
the technology's ability to help prevent serious crashes.\79\ However,
despite the identified safety benefits of V2V technology, this rule is
languishing at DOT.
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\78\ NHTSA, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; V2V
Communications, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Jan. 12, 2017, 82
FR 3854.
\79\ Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Comments, NHTSA-2016-
0126-0473, May 19, 2017.
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Autonomous and Connected Trucks
The emergence of experimental autonomous commercial motor vehicles
(ACMVs) and their interactions with conventional motor vehicles demand
an enhanced level of Federal and state oversight to ensure public
safety. It is imperative that CMVs be regulated. For the foreseeable
future, regardless of their level of automation, ACMVs must have an
operator with a valid commercial driver's license in the vehicle at all
times. In addition, critical safety regulations administered by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) such as those that
apply to driver hours-of-service, licensing requirements, entry level
training and medical qualifications must not be weakened. Advocates
outlined safety concerns and recommendations for ACMVs in a September
12, 2017 letter to the Committee, which is attached.
Advocates is also concerned with a number of issues presented by
truck platooning. In order to achieve any efficiency benefits, the
trucks in a platoon must operate much closer together than is current
practice. This presents very real safety concerns. Issues such as
vehicle maintenance may hamper the ability to execute these types of
operations outside of controlled experiments. In real-world scenarios,
realities of brake and tire maintenance as well as vehicle loading can
all affect handling capability. Currently, one in five heavy vehicles
inspected at the roadside are placed out of service for vehicle issues,
a large number of which are related to brakes or tires.\80\ Moreover,
until the first vehicle in a platoon is operated by a verifiably safe
automated driving system, the safety of the platoon relies on the lead
human driver. There are also questions concerning the interaction of
platoons with other road users, including the ability of other vehicles
to pass a platoon safely or navigate between them if need be in order
to reach an exit or enter a road safely.
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\80\ FMCSA, Roadside Inspection Out of Service Rates (Jul. 27,
2018).
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Rural Considerations
There are many unique transportation characteristics present in
rural America that will affect the performance of, and access to,
emerging technologies. Necessary infrastructure such as broadband
connectivity and up-to-date mapping may be limited. Maintenance of
roadway markings, signs and pavement may vary. Unpaved roads in rural
areas could increase sensor fouling which could degrade or prevent safe
operation. More consideration must be given to this complex issue
before AVs can be deployed on a large scale.
Conclusion
Every day on average 100 people are killed and 6,500 more are
injured in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. Advocates has consistently
promoted technology to reduce this unacceptable death and injury toll.
So too, does Advocates proffer that automated technology has the
potential to make significant and lasting reductions to this public
health epidemic. However, AVs should not be prematurely deployed and
sold before they can be safely operated on public roads and without
commonsense government oversight in place. Serious and fatal crashes
involving AVs which have already occurred reveal significant flaws in
this still developing technology. In sum, the path to the safe and
effective introduction of AVs requires government oversight,
transparency and a comprehensive regulatory framework in all aspects
from vehicle standards to infrastructure design.
Senator Gardner. Thank you, and again the Committee thanks
you.
The hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:42 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
[all]