U.S. unveils AV 4.0 initiative at CES in Las Vegas

The United States government has released its latest initiative in the automated vehicle (AV) sector in a bid to keep its leadership in self-driving vehicle technologies.

Elaine L. Chao, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, on Wednesday announced the unveiling of "AV 4.0 -- Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies" in a keynote speech at the 2020 Customer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

AV 4.0 is a joint White House and U.S. Department of Transportation initiative, according to Chao.

The initiative unifies AV efforts across 38 federal departments, independent agencies, commissions, and the executive offices of the president, providing high-level guidance to state and local governments, innovators and all stakeholders on the U.S. government's approach toward AVs, she said.

"AV 4.0 will ensure American leadership in AV technology development and integration by providing unified guidance for the first time across the federal government for innovators and stakeholders," Chao said.

She said AV 4.0 establishes federal principles for the development and integration of automated vehicles, consisting of three core focus areas -- prioritizing safety and security, promoting innovation and ensuring a consistent regulatory approach.

It also outlines ongoing administration efforts supporting AV technology growth and leadership, as well as opportunities for collaboration including federal investments in the AV sector and resources for innovators, researchers and the public, she added.

U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios said that the newly-released federal principles may help foster an environment for innovators to advance safe AV technologies and put the United States in a position of continued leadership in the future of transportation.

The U.S. Department of Transportation released "Automated Driving Systems 2.0: A Vision for Safety" in September 2017, and "Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0" in October 2018, introducing guiding principles for AV safety and innovation, respectively.

The development of new vehicle safety technologies in recent years has sharply reduced road accident deaths. Automated vehicles will eventually transform surface transportation, improve road safety and save thousands of lives each year, Chao said.