Dec. 19, 2018—The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday issued a final rule to streamline the application and review process for vehicle petitions submitted by manufacturers while continuing to prioritize safety for drivers, occupants and other road users.
Manufacturers must submit a petition to apply for temporary exemption if a proposed new vehicle does not comply. Existing federal motor vehicle safety standards were developed when all vehicles had a human driver, and prior to the introduction of automated vehicle technologies, which are rapidly evolving.
To expedite the process in the future, NHTSA issued a final rule that eliminates the provision that calls for the agency to determine a petition is complete before publishing summary notices for public comment.
