[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 126 (Friday, June 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30815-30816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14029]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2006-26367]


Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC); Public Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of advisory committee meeting.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces that its MCSAC will meet on Monday and 
Tuesday, July 30-31, 2018.

DATES: The meeting will be held Monday-Tuesday, July 30-31, 2018, from 
9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Oklahoma City Rooms A, B, and C, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Washington, DC 20590. Copies of the MCSAC Task Statements and an 
agenda for the entire meeting will be made available in advance of the 
meeting at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mcsac.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Shannon L. Watson, Senior Advisor 
to the Associate Administrator for Policy, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, at (202) 385-2395, 
or via email at [email protected].
    Services for Individuals with Disabilities: For information on 
facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to request 
special assistance at the meeting, contact Ms. Watson by Wednesday, 
July 18, 2018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Purpose of the Committee

    MCSAC was established to provide FMCSA with advice and 
recommendations on motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier 
safety regulations. MCSAC is composed of up to 20 voting 
representatives from safety advocacy, safety enforcement, labor, and 
industry stakeholders of motor carrier safety. The diversity of the 
Committee ensures the requisite range of views and expertise necessary 
to discharge its responsibilities. The Committee operates as a 
discretionary committee under the authority of the U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT), established in accordance with the provisions of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. 
See FMCSA's MCSAC website for additional information about the 
committee's activities at https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mcsac.

Meeting Agenda

    The MCSAC will complete its deliberations from June 2017 and 
provide recommendations to the Agency concerning automated driving 
systems (ADS)-equipped commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), the 
development of the Agency's fiscal year (FY) 2018-2022 strategic plan, 
and the review of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) 
to identify potential opportunities to reduce regulatory burdens while 
ensuring that Federal safety programs continue to achieve safety 
outcomes.

Task 17-1: Automated Driving Systems Equipped CMVs

    On September 12, 2017, the Department published the Automated 
Driving Systems (ADS): A Vision for Safety 2.0. (Publication No. DOT HS 
812-442, https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/13069a-ads2.0_090617_v9a_tag.pdf) (the Voluntary Guidance). On March 1, 
2018, the Secretary convened an Automated Vehicle summit, which 
included a Public Listening Summit on Automated Vehicles Policy to seek 
input on Automated Vehicles 3.0 (https://www.transportation.gov/AV/avsummit). Automated driving systems (ADS) equipped CMVs are those in 
which the vehicle can take full control of the

[[Page 30816]]

driving tasks in at least some circumstances. ADS hold enormous 
potential benefits for safety, mobility, and the efficiency of our 
transportation system.
    The Voluntary Guidance adopts the SAE International (SAE) published 
Standard J3016, ``Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to On-Road 
Motor Vehicle Automated Driving Systems'' definitions for levels of 
automation. The SAE definitions divide vehicles into levels based on 
``who does what, when.'' Generally:
     SAE Level 0, No Driving Automation; the driver performs 
all driving tasks.
     SAE Level 1, Driver Assistance; the vehicle is controlled 
by the driver but some driving assist features may be included in the 
vehicle design. SAE Level 2, Partial Driving Automation; the vehicle 
has combined automated functions, like acceleration and steering, but 
the driver must remain engaged with the driving task and monitor the 
environment at all times.
     SAE Level 3, Conditional Driving Automation; the driver is 
a necessity but is not required to monitor the environment. The driver 
must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times with notice. 
SAE Level 4, High Driving Automation; the vehicle can perform all 
driving functions under certain conditions. The driver may have the 
option to control the vehicle. SAE Level 5, Full Driving Automation; 
the vehicle can perform all driving functions under all conditions.
    Using the SAE levels described above, the Department draws a 
distinction between Levels 0-2 and 3-5 based on whether the human 
driver or the automated system is primarily responsible for monitoring 
the driving environment. The term ``automated vehicle systems'' 
represents SAE Levels 3-5 vehicles that are responsible for monitoring 
the driving environment. For this task, the Agency's primary focus is 
SAE Levels 3-5 ADS, as delineated in its Federal Register notice of 
March 26, 2018, Request for Comments Concerning FMCSRs Which May Be a 
Barrier to the Safe Testing and Deployment of ADS-Equipped CMVs on 
Public Roads (https://federalregister.gov/d/2018-05788). The comment 
period closed on May 10, 2018.
    Public discussions regarding ADS have become more prominent in 
recent months as developers continue efforts to demonstrate and test 
the viability of advanced driver assistance systems on large commercial 
vehicles. FMCSA encourages the development of these advanced safety 
technologies for use on commercial vehicles, while recognizing the need 
to work with the States to ensure that, from an operations standpoint, 
all testing and use of these advanced safety systems is conducted in a 
manner that ensures the safe operation of ADS-equipped CMVs.
    FMCSA tasked the MCSAC in June 2017 with providing recommendations 
regarding the framework for considering temporary exemptions that 
entities may seek to operate an ADS-equipped CMV on a public roadway.

Task 17-2: FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan

    FMCSA is drafting a new strategic plan for release in 2018. The new 
strategic plan will provide a high-level overview of our mission, 
vision, strategic goals and outlook for FY2018-2022 based on 
Department's goals for the next several years. The Department released 
its Strategic Plan for FY 2018-2022 in February 2018 (https://www.transportation.gov/dot-strategic-plan). The MCSAC has been tasked 
with providing feedback on the current FMCSA strategic goals and 
objectives and recommendations for additional goals, objectives, 
programs, and initiatives that the members believe should be 
highlighted in the next strategic plan to align with DOT's plan.

Task 17-3: Regulatory Review

    In June 2017, FMCSA tasked the MCSAC with providing recommendations 
to the Agency concerning implementation of Executive Orders 13771, 
``Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs'' (82 FR 9339, 
February 3, 2017) and 13777, ``Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda'' 
(82 FR 12285, March 1, 2017). The Agency requests that the MCSAC 
identify regulations that it believes to be (1) outdated, unnecessary, 
or ineffective or (2) impose costs that exceed benefits. The MCSAC's 
recommendations would be based on the members' understanding of the 
regulatory requirements, how the rules have been implemented by the 
industry and enforcement officials, and crash, injury, and fatality 
data. FMCSA will provide technical assistance to the MCSAC members, as 
needed.

II. Meeting Participation

    The meeting will be open to the public for its entirety. Oral 
comments from the public will be heard throughout the meeting, at the 
discretion of the MCSAC chairman and designated federal officer. 
Members of the public may submit written comments on the topics to be 
considered during the meeting by Wednesday, July 18, 2018, to Federal 
Docket Management System (FDMC) Docket Number FMCSA-2006-26367 using 
any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC, between 
9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

    Issued on: June 21, 2018.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-14029 Filed 6-28-18; 8:45 am]
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