Products Liability Law Daily Wrap Up, NHTSA NEWS—MOTOR VEHICLES—Transportation Secretary Duffy unveils plans to update safety standards for automated vehicles, (Sep 5, 2025)

By WK Editorial Staff

The rulemakings will address transmission systems, windshield systems, lamps, and reflective devices.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is initiating three rulemakings to modernize Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS). The updates are part of the agency’s Automated Vehicle Framework, which aims to align safety regulations with emerging transportation technologies (NHTSA Press Release (Sept. 2, 2025)).

The current FMVSS were developed decades ago for vehicles operated by human drivers and do not account for autonomous vehicle designs. The proposed rulemakings will address standards for vehicles without manual controls and are intended to eliminate outdated or redundant requirements while maintaining safety.

“These changes will eliminate redundant requirements and bring us closer to a single national standard that spurs innovation and prioritizes safety,” said Secretary Duffy. “America must lead the way in transportation innovation. If we don’t, our adversaries will fill the void.”

NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser emphasized the need to revise standards originally written for human-operated vehicles. “Removing these requirements will reduce costs and enhance safety,” Simshauser said. “NHTSA is committed to supporting the safe development of advanced technologies and advancing a new era of transportation.”

The rulemakings will focus on the following FMVSS (Nos. 103 and 104 will be combined):

• FMVSS No. 102: Transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect

• FMVSS No. 103: Windshield defrosting and defogging systems

• FMVSS No. 104: Windshield wiping and washing systems

• FMVSS No. 108: Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment

These updates are part of the federal Spring Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. The AV Framework outlines three guiding principles: prioritizing safety in AV operations, removing unnecessary regulatory barriers to innovation, and enabling commercial deployment of AVs to improve mobility and safety.

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