NHTSA to overhaul auto-safety rules for self-driving cars
What NHTSA’s new auto-safety standards mean for autonomous vehicles
NHTSA to overhaul auto-safety rules for self-driving cars
NHTSA moves to update federal auto-safety standards for self-driving vehicles, covering steering-wheel-free designs plus mirror and lighting rules and wipers.
2025-09-05T10:40:17+03:00
2025-09-05T10:40:17+03:00
2025-09-05T10:40:17+03:00
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun a sweeping review of federal auto-safety standards, taking into account the latest self-driving technology. The effort bundles a set of meaningful changes tailored to next-generation vehicles equipped with autonomous controls—think robotaxis and dedicated shuttle vans produced by various companies, for example Zoox.Of the four proposed amendments, the most consequential target rules originally written for cars with a human at the wheel. The updated framework would account for the absence of a steering wheel and pedals, allowing vehicles designed to operate exclusively in automated mode. The approach hints at a shift toward treating autonomy as a core design premise, not a retrofit.The package also touches several technical components, including the operation of the automatic transmission, windshield wipers, lighting equipment (headlamps), and rearview mirror systems. Each would be adapted to the realities of a vehicle that functions without a human driver—a practical set of tweaks that often decides whether a concept can graduate to production.Taken together, the amendments would streamline approvals and reduce hurdles to deploying new autonomous solutions. At the same time, the refreshed standards aim to provide added protection for passengers and other road users, reinforcing overall road safety. It reads as a pragmatic balance: clearing a path for innovation while keeping safeguards front and center.
NHTSA moves to update federal auto-safety standards for self-driving vehicles, covering steering-wheel-free designs plus mirror and lighting rules and wipers.
Michael Powers, Editor
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun a sweeping review of federal auto-safety standards, taking into account the latest self-driving technology. The effort bundles a set of meaningful changes tailored to next-generation vehicles equipped with autonomous controls—think robotaxis and dedicated shuttle vans produced by various companies, for example Zoox.
Of the four proposed amendments, the most consequential target rules originally written for cars with a human at the wheel. The updated framework would account for the absence of a steering wheel and pedals, allowing vehicles designed to operate exclusively in automated mode. The approach hints at a shift toward treating autonomy as a core design premise, not a retrofit.
The package also touches several technical components, including the operation of the automatic transmission, windshield wipers, lighting equipment (headlamps), and rearview mirror systems. Each would be adapted to the realities of a vehicle that functions without a human driver—a practical set of tweaks that often decides whether a concept can graduate to production.
Taken together, the amendments would streamline approvals and reduce hurdles to deploying new autonomous solutions. At the same time, the refreshed standards aim to provide added protection for passengers and other road users, reinforcing overall road safety. It reads as a pragmatic balance: clearing a path for innovation while keeping safeguards front and center.
