The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a research group financed by U.S. insurers, released a study in which it found that self-driving cars could likely only prevent a third of all U.S. road crashes, which is less than many assumptions about potential driverless safety gains. The study further found the remaining crashes were caused by mistakes that self-driving systems are not equipped to handle any better than human drivers. Partners for Automated Vehicle Education, a consortium of self-driving companies and researchers, said in a statement the study wrongly assumed that automated cars could only prevent crashes caused by perception errors and incapacitation.
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California Asms. Vince Fong (R–Bakersfield) and Kevin Kiley (R–Rocklin) proposed a bill that would halt high-speed rail funding for two years. The more than $3 billion in budget savings from high-speed rail spending would help the state manage its coronavirus-driven $54 billion deficit and counteract Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed cuts to K-12 education.
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The Maryland DOT, Purple Line Transit Partners, and Purple Line Transit Constructors continue active negotiations on the Purple Line. This comes after recent reports that the PLTC companies want out of the project.
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Statewide stay-at-home orders prompted by the coronavirus pandemic have resulted in various trends related to traffic volume and safety, according to transportation experts. Experts participated in a recent webinar hosted by the Transportation Research Board.
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Finally, in Washington State, Sound Transit leaders warn projects must be canceled or delayed to keep cash from running dry. In 2020 and 2021 alone, the regional agency could lose $1 billion.
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