U.S. Expands Self-Driving Vehicle Regulations

The U.S. government plans to extend a program allowing exemptions for some self-driving vehicles from specific safety requirements. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) aims to simplify yet retain reporting mandates for safety incidents related to advanced vehicles and include domestically produced self-driving vehicles.

The Trump administration announced plans to broaden an initiative exempting certain self-driving vehicles from all safety mandates while still requiring the reporting of safety incidents linked to advanced vehicle technology.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it would refine reporting obligations for vehicles featuring advanced driver assistance or self-driving systems but intends to keep these regulations in place. The goal is to encourage innovation while maintaining a focus on safety.

Moreover, the NHTSA revealed that its Automated Vehicle Exemption Program would now embrace domestically manufactured vehicles. This change allows companies the flexibility to operate non-compliant imported vehicles on U.S. roads, marking an expansion in the scope of the program.

(With inputs from agencies.)