Trump’s Transportation Department Launches Commonsense Updates to Brake Pedal Requirements for AVs The change is the latest addition to the agency’s AV Framework as it[...]

As part of its new Automated Vehicle Framework, the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today commenced rulemaking for its fifth update to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). This latest effort is a commonsense measure that would eliminate the mandate for manual brake pedals in vehicles designed to be driven exclusively by automated driving systems (ADS).

The move builds on the agency's effort to safely unleash American innovation and rethink the types of equipment - like windshield wipers or a rearview mirror - vehicles don't need if a human being will never drive the car.

Other braking performance requirements, including strict stopping distance standards, will be preserved. For ADS-equipped vehicles with manual driving controls, all existing standard requirements will be retained.

"We are at the cusp of the greatest technological revolution in vehicle technology since the innovation of the Model T," NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said. "If we want America to lead the way, we have to reimagine our regulatory framework. That's why under Secretary Sean Duffy's AV Framework, NHTSA is tearing down pointless barriers to innovative designs while strengthening the fundamental safety requirements that matter and holding AV developers accountable for safe performance. This approach will ultimately reduce roadway crashes, prevent fatalities, and increase mobility."

Key Updates to FMVSS No. 135

• Removes requirements for hand- or foot-operated brake controls for vehicles designed never to be operated by a human. Existing rules still apply to AVs that retain manual controls.
• All subject vehicles must still meet the same stopping distance performance criteria via alternative testing procedures.
• While this update ensures AVs can physically stop when commanded, NHTSA is separately developing safety performance requirements for AVs in real-world driving scenarios.
• NHTSA will continue to use its broad defect enforcement authority to investigate unsafe ADS behavior and oversee recalls.

Progress Under the Trump Administration's AV Framework

The DOT has rapidly advanced several initiatives to safely accelerate autonomous technology:

• Improved Exemptions: Streamlined the Automated Vehicle Exemption Program and Part 555 exemption programs for demonstration and commercial fleets and expanded AVEP to include domestic vehicles.
• Modernized Safety Standards: Proposed updates to additional standards governing transmission shifting (102), windshield defrosting/wiping (103/104), and tire placards (110), and now braking systems (135). Once complete, individual vehicle exemptions may no longer be necessary.
• National Competency Standards: Initiated development of the world's first standards for AV performance that can meet the Vehicle Safety Act's strict objectivity requirements.
• New Safety Guidance: Initiated drafting the first major federal safety guidance for AV developers since 2017, in collaboration with industry and safety experts.
• Industry Engagement: Convened the first-ever National AV Safety Forum with tech and automotive safety stakeholders.