Big Trucks Beg Brake Rule Pass: No Harm, No Fix?

2026-11072 — Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 214; Side Impact Protection; Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 305a; Electric-Powered Vehicles: Electric Powertrain Integrity; Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 307; Fuel System Integrity of Hydrogen Vehicles

Starting July 6, 2026, car makers must follow updated safety rules that clean up old, outdated side-impact protection standards and fix related rules for electric and hydrogen vehicles. These changes make the rules clearer without adding new costs or big changes for manufacturers. If anyone wants to challenge the updates, they have until July 20, 2026, to speak up.

2026-08144 — Administrative Rulemaking, Guidance, and Enforcement Procedures

The Department of Transportation is bringing back and improving its rules for making new policies, giving guidance, and enforcing laws. This affects anyone involved in transportation regulations, making the process clearer and more consistent. These changes kick in on May 27, 2026, aiming to save time and avoid confusion without adding extra costs.

2026-05024 — Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 102 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles

NHTSA wants to update a safety rule to help self-driving cars that don’t have steering wheels or gear shifts. They’re proposing to remove the need for a gear position display in these automated vehicles, cutting costs without hurting safety. If you have thoughts, speak up by April 15, 2026!

2026-05023 — Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 103 and FMVSS No. 104 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles; Incorporation by Reference

NHTSA is updating rules for windshield defrosting, defogging, wiping, and washing to better fit self-driving cars that don’t have steering wheels or pedals. These cars won’t have to follow old rules meant for human drivers, cutting costs and unnecessary requirements without hurting safety. The changes kick in about six months after the final rule, and manufacturers can still add these features if they want.

2025-22674 — Public Hearing for Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards: The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicle Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks

The government is holding a virtual public hearing on January 7, 2026, about new fuel economy rules for cars and light trucks from 2022 to 2031. These rules aim to keep vehicles safer and more affordable while improving fuel efficiency. If you care about how much gas your car uses or how much you pay at the pump, this is your chance to speak up before the rules are finalized.

2026-12274 — Denial of Motor Vehicle Defect Petition, DP21-003

NHTSA has decided not to investigate claims about speed control problems and runaway throttle issues in certain Kia and Hyundai vehicles. The petition, filed by two individuals, asked for a safety check but after reviewing all the info, NHTSA found no reason to open a formal investigation. This means no new recalls or fixes are planned, so owners can keep driving as usual without extra costs or changes.

Previous: 2025-14122 — Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., Receipt of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

Volkswagen found a small safety rule slip in some 2018-2024 Audi Q5 and SQ5 models and asked the government to say it’s no big deal. This affects drivers of these cars but won’t cost them money or cause recalls—at least for now. The government is reviewing Volkswagen’s request to keep things rolling smoothly.

Next: 2025-14124 — Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review a paperwork request about collecting info from the public. They already gave everyone 60 days to share thoughts but got zero comments. This means the process is moving forward with no extra costs or delays for folks involved.