New regulations from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) aim to modernize outdated vehicle lighting standards, the agency said.
The update to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 will bolster driver safety, slash red tape and embrace new technologies, the NHTSA said.
NHTSA said it will consult industry stakeholders, safety advocates and technical experts to tackle safety and engineering challenges including headlight glare, modernized lighting technology, improving performance, updating testing and materials and aligning global standards.
“Today’s standards do not allow automakers to deploy the latest safety-improving lighting technologies, so we are bringing key experts and stakeholders together to modernize our standards and address potential causes of glare,” NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said. “This collaborative approach will allow us to update outdated regulations, foster innovation, and keep everyone on our roads safer.”
It will be the first time in more than 25 years the NHTSA has used negotiated rulemaking to update its vehicle lighting standards, the agency said. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will appoint up to 18 stakeholders across vehicle lighting manufacturers, motor vehicle equipment associations, safety organizations, research institutions and engineering associations.
The agency said it is looking for public comments on the committee’s scope and membership balance, as well as formal membership nominations through Nov. 9, 2026.