NHTSA investigating autonomous truck tech company following crash

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating autonomous vehicle technology company Pony.ai regarding possible noncompliance of crash reporting requirements.

Opened on March 24, NHTSA’s investigation claims Pony.ai may not have submitted accurate crash reports in a timely manner. Reporting requirements were implemented last year after criticism of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s relaxed approached to autonomous vehicle oversight.

On Oct. 28, 2021, a vehicle equipped with a Pony.ai automated driving system was involved in a crash in Fremont, Calif. The vehicle was operating in driverless autonomous mode. The autonomous vehicle technology company submitted reports on Nov. 12, 17, 19 and Dec. 15.

The general order establishing reporting rules applies to more than 100 companies testing autonomous vehicles or autonomous driving systems, including Pony.ai.

Companies must submit an incident report within one day upon notice of crashes that meet  certain criteria. Subsequently, a follow-up report is due 10 days after receipt of notice of the incident. One of the criteria is reporting any crash involving a vehicle with the autonomous driving system engaged.

According to NHTSA documents, Pony.ai did not submit the initial incident report until 15 days after the crash. In addition to timeliness, NHTSA also is looking into the accuracy of the reports. However, NHTSA’s audit query does not specify what aspects of the report may be inaccurate.

Pony.ai develops autonomous driving systems for a variety of vehicles, including passenger vehicles and trucks. According to the crash report, October’s crash involved a Hyundai Kona electric SUV.

After making a right turn, the SUV performed a left lane change maneuver in autonomous mode. While performing the lane change, the Pony.ai autonomous vehicle hit a center divider and traffic sign. The SUV suffered moderate damage to the front of the vehicle and the undercarriage. There were no injuries and no other vehicles involved. Road conditions were optimal, with clear skies during the day and dry roadways.

In December, the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Pony.ai’s driverless testing permit. However, the company can continue to test vehicles with a safety driver inside. LL