Flawed Tires Get NHTSA's Thumbs-Up: No Fixes Required

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Starting July 6, 2026, car makers must follow updated safety rules that clean up old, outdated side-impact protection standards and fix related rules for electric and hydrogen vehicles.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.

2026-13544 — Rivian Automotive, LLC, Grant of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

Rivian found a small labeling mix-up on about 1,278 of their 2022 electric delivery vans, but it doesn’t affect safety. The government agreed this issue is minor, so Rivian won’t have to fix or recall the vans. This means no extra costs or delays for owners or the company.

Previous: 2025-18474 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Extension: Rule 18f-1 and Form N-18f-1

The SEC is asking for comments on extending a rule that lets certain investment funds choose how they pay back investors. Fewer funds are filing the required form now, so the paperwork time dropped from 12 to 8 hours a year—no extra costs involved. If you’re part of these funds, now’s the time to weigh in before the extension gets approved!

Next: 2025-18476 — Waivers and Alternative Requirements for Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Grantee

Texas is getting special rules for its Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds to help recover from disasters faster and smarter. These changes give Texas more flexibility on how to use the money and meet deadlines, speeding up important projects. This means Texas can protect communities better and quicker with the same grant money.