The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is easing autonomous vehicle regulations to boost American innovation, officials say.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the launch of the Automated Vehicle (AV) Program on April 24. Officials say the program will prioritize the safe operation of current AVs on public roads, encourage innovation by lowering redundant or unnecessary regulations and enable the commercial use of AVs.
While AV automakers will still have to observe the NHTSA’s Crash Reporting Standing General Order, the federal agency is streamlining the reporting requirements “to sharpen the focus on critical safety information while removing unnecessary and duplicative requirements.”
The NHTSA also expanded its Automated Vehicle Exemption Program, which exempts certain imported AVs from some U.S. regulations, to include domestic vehicles.
“This Administration understands that we’re in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn’t be higher,” says Duffy. “As part of DOT’s innovation agenda, our new framework will slash red tape and move us closer to a single national standard that spurs innovation and prioritizes safety.”
