The barriers and safety benefits of using advanced technology in heavy-duty trucks will be the focus of a roundtable discussion hosted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the National Safety Council on Monday, July 24, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, Schaumburg, Ill.

Nearly two-dozen trucking industry professionals, government officials, safety advocates, researchers and more will participate in a conversation about strategies to increase the use of advanced driver assistance systems in heavy-duty trucks and fleets. The event is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. CT.

Roadway deaths are on the rise

The discussion comes during an era in which motor vehicle fatalities are up, despite rapid advancements in safety technologies. NSC estimates that at least 40,000 people died in crashes in 2016 – a 14 percent increase since 2014, and the steepest two-year increase since 1964. Heavy-duty vehicles have not been immune from the troubling trend: more than 4,300 large trucks and buses were involved in fatal crashes in 2015, according to the most recent data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Trucking industry resists new technology

Existing vehicle safety technologies such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and blind-spot detection could prevent or mitigate heavy-duty truck crashes. Yet, many trucking organizations and independent operators have not fully embraced new technologies for their vehicles. The issue prompted the NTSB to include “Increase Implementation of Collision Avoidance Technologies” on its 2017-18 Most Wanted List of transportation safety improvements.

The four-part roundtable discussion will begin with an overview of the state of ADAS technologies in the trucking industry. Participants then will discuss driver interactions with the technologies and the most effective strategies for educating and training drivers. The third discussion point will focus on government regulation versus voluntary adoption of safety technologies. Finally, the group will consider challenges to implementing ADAS in heavy-duty fleets and analyze possible solutions.

Experts from the following organizations are scheduled to participate:

• Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
• American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
• American Trucking Associations
• Andrews Logistics
• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems
• Daimler Trucks North America
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• Fleetio
• Heavy Duty Trucking Magazine
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
• Lancer Insurance
• Lytx DriveCam
• Mobileye Vision Technologies
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• National Private Truck Council
• Schneider National, Inc.
• Sentinel Transportation, LLC
• Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
• Volvo Trucks USA – North America
• WABCO North America

The meeting is open to the public, but seating is limited. The event also will be webcast. To view the webcast, visit the events page on the NTSB website and click on the registration link (access webcast link day of event). For questions, email media@nsc.org.