ADS-Equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program
Published Date: 1/15/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The government is proposing a new program to keep an eye on cars with automated driving systems (ADS) to make sure they’re safe and transparent. Car makers can join voluntarily by sharing safety info and reports, helping everyone understand how these smart cars work on public roads. Comments on the plan are open until March 17, 2025, so the program can start shaping the future of driving safely and smartly.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
New AV STEP exemption pathway
AV STEP would offer a tailored, voluntary pathway for ADS-equipped vehicles to seek exemptions under 49 U.S.C. 30114(a) and 49 U.S.C. 30122(c). If you are a vehicle manufacturer, ADS developer, fleet operator, or system integrator seeking an ADS-related FMVSS exemption, you could use this program instead of existing exemption processes.
Mandatory reporting and independent assessments
Applicants accepted into AV STEP would have to provide an independent assessment of their ADS safety case and submit periodic and event-triggered reports to NHTSA while participating. The program proposes that much of the application and reporting information would be published.
Two participation levels with different rules
AV STEP would have two levels of participation: Step 1 for vehicles that rely on specially trained fallback personnel and Step 2 for vehicles that do not rely on fallback personnel. The proposed participation and reporting requirements differ between these two steps.
Agency will publish ADS participant data
NHTSA proposes to publish a list of AV STEP applicants and participants and details about the scope and status of each operation on the agency website. This will make more information about where ADS-equipped vehicles operate and how they perform available to the public.
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