U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had released a new Automated Vehicle (AV) Framework to guide the deployment of AVs.
Duffy said the framework is part of his transportation innovation agenda and will maintain key safety standards nationwide, instead of allowing for a patchwork of state laws and regulations.
“This Administration understands that we’re in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn’t be higher,” Duffy said. “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.”
The NHTSA’s AV Framework will prioritize safety, remove regulatory barriers and enable commercial deployment, he said. To address safety, the NHTSA will maintain its Standing General Order on Crash Reporting for vehicles equipped with certain advanced driver assistance systems and automated driving systems. The agency will also work to streamline the reporting to sharpen focus on critical safety information and remove unnecessary requirements.
“By streamlining the SGO for Crash Reporting and expanding an existing exemption program to domestic vehicles, we are enabling AV manufacturers to develop faster and spend less time on unnecessary process, while still advancing safety,” NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser said. “These are the first steps toward making America a more welcoming environment for the next generation of automotive technology.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation said the first actions under the framework will help accelerate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to provide a path to safe commercial AV deployment.