全球智库信息集成服务系统

Law enforcement must be able to communicate securely with AVs and their owners

• Participants noted that methods are needed to determine whether and when an AV is operating without human control. From a legal standpoint, this is critical, because how a vehicle is operating could factor into officers' reasonable suspicion and probable cause determinations.

Participants agreed that communication and collaboration between stakeholders is important

• AV manufacturers need an understanding of common problems officers face in the field so that AVs can be programmed in a way that allows for officers to manage routine interactions.
• At the same time, LE needs to be informed of the capabilities and limitations of current AV systems to avoid misconceptions that might result in unrealistic ideas about what can and should be expected of AVs during LE interactions.

Standard protocols and procedures need to be established for LE interactions with AVs

• Workshop participants expressed the need to ensure that all AVs are programmed to behave in the same way in each interaction with first responders so that procedures do not have to change based on the make and model of the car.
• It is critical for LE and developers to work together to determine how interactions should occur and what behaviors can be expected of AVs. Standardization is critical, especially for vehicles that feature higher levels of autonomy.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) promise many benefits, but questions remain about how law enforcement (LE) officers will interact with them. Officers likely will encounter new challenges related to technology, procedures, and constitutional authorities. To better understand the potential challenges of LE interaction with AVs, the RAND Corporation and the Police Executive Research Forum, on behalf of the National Institute of Justice, convened a workshop of practitioners and researchers to identify the highest-priority problems and associated needs related to AVs within the next five years. The purpose of the workshop was to explore specific scenarios involving AVs that have occurred or will occur and generate needs and potential technical options for addressing such situations. Workshop participants identified 33 needs that revolved around three broad themes: (1) designing a means of communicating with AVs that also maintains cybersecurity; (2) improving stakeholder communication and collaboration; and (3) developing standard procedures, guidelines, and training needs for LE interacting with AVs. The consensus was that many of the short-term needs identified in this report require a response and that LE should begin proactive preparations to address longer-term challenges before being forced into reactive changes.

• Skip to page content

Objective Analysis. Effective Solutions.