NTSB CHAIRMAN DESCRIBES FUTURE OF AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY TECHNOLOGY

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

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                      NTSB PRESS RELEASE
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 22, 2008
SB-08-04

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NTSB CHAIRMAN DESCRIBES FUTURE OF AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY 
TECHNOLOGY

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        National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark V. 
Rosenker today said that the auto industry has recognized 
the limitations of improving the crashworthiness of vehicles 
as a way to reduce highway fatalities and are now developing 
innovative technologies to help prevent the accidents 
themselves.

        Speaking at the 2008 Washington, D.C. Auto Show, 
Rosenker noted that there are nearly 250 million vehicles 
registered in the United States; their operation results in 
6 million police-reported crashes and more than 42,000 
fatalities annually.  "For several decades, the number of 
fatalities has been dropping, and more importantly, the 
fatality rate has also been dropping.  These improvements 
can be attributed to the use of seatbelts and child 
restraint systems; the development of airbags, antilock 
brakes, crash-absorbing vehicle frames; and campaigns to 
reduce drunk driving."

        However, the decreases in fatalities and injury rates 
have leveled off in recent years.  "So, while we have 
accomplished much in the past decade to improve the 
crashworthiness of automobiles, we have reached some 
practical limits in combating the physical forces involved 
in crashes.  In recognition, the auto industry is moving 
beyond crash mitigation and into a new era where technology 
will help us prevent accidents."

        Recently, the NTSB added the issue of preventing 
collisions using enhanced vehicle safety technology to its 
list of Most Wanted Safety Improvements.

        Chairman Rosenker highlighted categories of crash 
avoidance technology.

        -- Vehicle-based Crash Avoidance Systems:  Rear-end 
crash warning systems, adaptive cruise control and 
automatic braking systems are designed to prevent 
or at least mitigate the most common type of crash 
- rear end collisions.  Lane departure avoidance 
systems and curve-speed warning systems are being 
developed to target the most fatal type of events - 
run-off-the-road accidents. 

        -- Infrastructure Telematics:  A DOT initiative that 
includes road-based systems to provide drivers with 
a sophisticated means for obtaining information 
about their vehicles and the road - information 
like location-specific weather conditions, route-
specific road closures and work zone status.  
Adverse weather is associated with 800,000 injuries 
and more than 7,000 fatalities a year.

        Rosenker noted that the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration is revising its New Car Assessment 
Program, which ranks automobiles on their crashworthiness 
using a 5-star rating system, because 95 percent of 2006 
model year vehicles received 4 or 5 stars.  The new system 
will reflect more modern crash avoidance technology.

        Rosenker said the success of these technologies will 
depend on the public's readiness to accept them.  "I am 
confident that highway automation will greatly improve 
safety, but I am not naive about what it will take to see 
these benefits. In the end, it is the public, and their 
ability and willingness to make use of these systems, that 
will determine how effective they will be - and how soon."

        The complete text of Chairman Rosenker's speech may be 
obtained on the Board's website at 
http://www.ntsb.gov/speeches/rosenker/mvr080122.html.

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NTSB Press Contact:     Ted Lopatkiewicz
                        (202) 314-6100
                        lopatt@xxxxxxxx







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