Recent findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) underscore a growing concern for motorcyclists navigating an increasingly automated roadway. In two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise hands-free driving system, federal investigators pointed to a dangerous combination of driver overreliance and technological limitations resulting in the loss of three lives.
According to the NTSB, the system failed to properly detect and respond to real-world conditions, including the presence of a stationary vehicle and excessive speed in a work zone. Just as troubling, drivers placed too much trust in the technology and failed to remain engaged behind the wheel.
For the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF), this comes as no surprise.
For more than a decade, the MRF has raised concerns in Washington, D.C., about how emerging vehicle technologies, especially automated and semi-autonomous systems, interact with motorcycles. Riders know all too well that motorcycles are already under detected by human drivers. When automation is layered on top of that reality, the risks only increase.
While much of the conversation around autonomous vehicles focuses on reducing fatalities, these incidents highlight a critical gap: technology that doesn’t fully account for all road users, including motorcyclists, can create new and unforeseen dangers.
That’s why events like next month’s Bikers Inside the Beltway are so important.
This annual grassroots lobby event provides a vital opportunity for riders from across the country to bring real-world concerns directly to lawmakers and regulators. As federal agencies consider new standards for automated driving systems, it is essential that the motorcycling community has a seat at the table.
The MRF will continue to advocate for policies that ensure motorcycles are not an afterthought in the development and deployment of new vehicle technologies. Safety must mean safety for everyone on the road.
Because when it comes to automation, awareness isn’t optional and neither is our voice.
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