ITASCA, IL – Strategies to increase the use of advanced diver assistance systems in heavy-duty trucks and fleets will be the topic of conversation at a U.S. National Transportation Safety Board discussion July 24.

The roundtable will feature an expert panel made up of nearly two-dozen trucking industry professionals, government officials, safety advocates, researchers, and other stakeholders. More than 20 organizations are expected to participate.

The discussion comes at a time when motor vehicle deaths have risen, despite advancements in in safety technology. The National Transportation Safety board says fatalities rose to 40,000 in the U.S. in 2016, a 14% increase from 2014. Of those more than 4,300 were large trucks or buses in 2015 alone.

The public meeting will be divided into four parts, and can also be live streamed at the National Transportation Safety Board website. Discussions will include an overview of technologies, driver interactions with the technologies, strategies for training and educating drivers, government regulation versus voluntary adoption, and challenges to implementation on heavy-duty fleets.

The discussion is expected to begin around 1 p.m. central time.