The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is making the move to publish a study soon in the Federal Register, as an announcement that there will be driver simulator study. All with a bunch of questionnaires to evaluate how Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers can interact with trucks utilizing automated driving systems.

The study is a newfound interest. It approaches the community as quickly as the NHTSA does when there’s been a recent investigation in autonomous technology as a crash occurred in the fleet from the TuSimple company, where operator engagement could’ve played a role. It might’ve even stopped the crash from happening.

The FMCSA believes that about 100 drivers are going to have fun taking part in the brand-new study, which is sure to examine effects cause by the non-driving secondary task engagement along with transfer of control as well as training for driver behavior in trucks equipment with Automated Driving Systems technology.

Through the Federal Register Notice, both the Society of Automotive Engineers and the FMCSA agree that Level 3 and even Level 2 automated driving is still way too new to be relied on. For level 2 ADS trucks in particular, they may offer support for the driver’s needs, but the driver has to be driving at all times.

Engaging in non-driving secondary tasks is, as the FMCSA themselves have noticed, dangerous while driving as the operator may not be able to handle hazards in an appropriate way. As it turns out now, the FMCSA wants to snag even more data for the evaluation of driver readiness in order to have control in SAE L2 and L3 trucks. All while developing and testing a truck driver distraction training program to help out with driver readiness when the moment is hot.

The FMCSA knows what it’s doing.

It’s even been noticed that the White House Office of Management and Budget is still approving the information collection request, right before the study even starts.

In which case, about fifty drivers are approved to take part in the L2 sessions while another fifty handles the L3 sessions. And that’s not a terrible idea as it turns out being that the whole point of sessions like these are supposed to be training operators from afar to be able to manage autonomous driving technology that goes on freeways with real drivers in real cars. And therefore, navigate safely through the open road and it’s hazards.