SAE International Unveils Newly Revised ADS Lighting Standard to Improve Road Safety and Public chevron right

WARRENDALE, PA., (December 18, 2025) - SAE International announces the publication of the latest revision of SAE J3134_202512: Automated Driving System (ADS) Marker Lamp. This landmark industry standard is designed to help pedestrians, road users, and public safety officials clearly understand when a vehicle is operating in automated mode.

"Mercedes-Benz's goal is to integrate ADS Marker Lamps conforming to J3134 onto production automated driving system (ADS) equipped vehicles for consumer purchase," said Nik Sciortino, Integral Safety, US Regulatory Affairs, Mercedes-Benz R&D North America, Inc. "We also strongly advocate for the international harmonization of J3134 to ensure consistent global deployment."

The standard establishes performance requirements for a dedicated exterior signal lamp used to indicate when the Automated Driving System is performing the full driving task. A defining feature of the updated standard is the SAE Lighting Committee's consensus adoption of a blue-green illumination color, intended as an international identifier that an ADS is active. SAE J3134 is the world's only lighting standard specifically developed for automated vehicles, informing parallel efforts under consideration by regulatory bodies and standards organizations across global markets.

"SAE J3134 is designed to support the integration of ADS Marker Lamps for regional needs and global alignment," states Christian Thiele, senior director, ground vehicle standards, SAE International. "It allows local markets to innovate and implement solutions that reflect their unique environments, while still operating within a common international framework. That balance is critical for reducing complexity, lowering development costs, and enabling technologies to scale globally."

CLICK HERE to view a video explaining and demonstrating the integration of the standard.

The SAE J3134 document is available here: https://www.sae.org/standards/j3134_202512-automated-driving-system-ads-marker-lamp.

For more information on SAE J3134 or to speak with an SAE technical expert on automated vehicle standards, please contact Jeff Laskowski at [email protected].

About SAE International^®
SAE International is a global organization committed to advancing mobility knowledge and solutions for the benefit of humanity. By engaging nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts, and volunteers, we connect and educate mobility professionals to enable safe, clean, and accessible mobility solutions. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including award-winning programs like A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™. More at http://www.sae.org.

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SAE Media Contact:
SAE International
Jeff Laskowski
248.925.4770
[email protected]