The TLC Vehicle Safety Technology (VST) Pilot

The launch

New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) Commissioner and Chair Meera Joshi, City Council Member and Technology Committee Chair James Vacca, and City Council Member and Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez announced the launch of the TLC's Vehicle Safety Technology (VST) Pilot Program, an extension of Mayor Bill de Blasio's Vision Zero Action Plan.

The TLC is one of three agencies taking the lead on Vision Zero, alongside NYC DOT and the NYPD. The VST pilot's goal is to explore the ways that in-vehicle technology may be employed to improve driver safety.

What the technology does

Data recorders, also known as black boxes, capture and record information on vehicle dynamics such as speed, acceleration, braking and abrupt turns. Driver alert systems notify the driver when the system detects unsafe driving factors.

Testing these systems in TLC-licensed vehicles enables the TLC to evaluate the practical applications of the technology and its effectiveness in promoting safe driving practices. The pilot also allows the TLC to evaluate the unique driving conditions found in urban settings such as New York City, and their effects on driving for hire.

"The VST Pilot Program will give us a bird's eye view of what is actually happening on the road and the mere presence of a black box will keep drivers mindful of the responsibility they have behind the wheel. The data collected by this piloted technology will help the TLC and our industries reinforce good driving practices that will ultimately keep drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists as safe as possible. Vision Zero's mission of eliminating traffic fatalities challenges us to explore every option at our disposal to ensure the safety of our shared streets."