Billings TrailNet is an organizational member of the League of American Bicyclists, and supports their concerns about autonomous vehicles.

From the League:

The Senate is debating a bill allowing automated vehicles to be tested in communities on a large scale — it would increase the number tenfold from what is on the street right now. 

The AV START act exempts autonomous vehicles from safety standards required for regular cars. That’s a huge concern especially since these vehicles are having a difficult time detecting and responding to bicyclists!

Right now the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent government agency charged with determining the probable cause of transportation accidents and promoting transportation safety, is investigating three fatal crashes involving autonomous vehicles, including the one in Tempe which killed a pedestrian walking with her bike. 

The League is working with Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety to ask Senators not to pass the AV START bill until the NTSB finishes its report on these crashes.  The League has signed onto this letter to Senators asking them to wait for these reports.

We hope Senators will listen to our colleagues at the League and will allow the NTSB to finish their recommendations before they make any decisions on autonomous vehicle policy.