What it is: Since July 2021, the federal government has been collecting data on crashes involving vehicles that have advanced driver-assistance systems and automated-driving systems. Crash reports include the name of the reporting company, the type of vehicle involved and details such as collision severity and damage and whether injuries or deaths occurred. New data is released on or around the 15th of each month.
Where it comes from: The data is collected through a NHTSA order issued last year requiring vehicle, equipment and software manufacturers of advanced driver-assistance systems and automated-driving systems to report crashes where the system was engaged within 30 seconds of the crash and damage or injury ensued. Companies subject to the order must report to the agency within 24 hours of learning of the incident and provide additional updates by certain time frames.
How it’s used: The data helps NHTSA identify potential defect trends and crashes to investigate, as well as providing information on how pedestrians and other vehicles interact with the systems. The agency has used the data to trigger new investigations and recalls, and inform ongoing safety probes.
How it might be misused: The data has limitations and lacks proper context, such as the number of vehicles operating on U.S. roads with these technologies, total vehicle miles traveled during the reporting period and how the vehicles compare with those that aren’t equipped with either technology. Therefore, it cannot be used to draw meaningful conclusions or compare system safety or crash rates among manufacturers.