Trump’s Transportation Department Cuts Red Tape to Safely Fast-Track Automated Vehicle Innovation

NHTSA is accelerating development of first-ever AV performance standards, streamlining testing exemptions, and allowing Zoox to commercially deploy robotaxis

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced a series of actions to accelerate American automated vehicle (AV) innovation. These initiatives build on the Trump Administration's ongoing efforts to help developers safely deploy AVs while enhancing road safety for Americans.

As a part of the Department's Innovation Agenda, Secretary Sean Duffy has directed NHTSA to implement the following AV policy changes:

1. Allow Zoox to commercially deploy its robotaxis through a temporary exemption.
   This temporary exemption will allow the commercial deployment of up to 2,500 vehicles annually for two years, subject to an enhanced, adaptable oversight structure that can evolve as Zoox's technology advances.
2. Accelerate development of first-ever AV performance standards through a partnership with SAE Industry Technologies Consortia (ITC).
   This partnership will fund a three-year, $5 million "A2SCEND" consortium, bringing together experts to gather data and accelerate creation of the first-ever AV performance standards. This project will inform a single national standard for AV safety to eliminate the patchwork regulatory landscape that has stifled innovation for years.
3. Publish an interim final rule that allows vehicles manufactured prior to an exemption to be eligible for a commercial deployment exemption.
   This rule will modernize the application process and improve access to exemptions for innovators, including AV developers, by granting the NHTSA Administrator the discretion to apply temporary exemptions to vehicles manufactured prior to the effective date of an exemption grant.
4. Streamline the application process for Part 555 exemptions by updating guidance and soliciting feedback from the public.
   By updating the Part 555 exemption process-which allows automakers to temporarily sell a limited number of non-compliant vehicles, primarily to test new technologies-NHTSA is aiming to create a more flexible oversight structure for exemptions and summarize recent AV framework activities, including expanded exemption pathways, streamlined crash reporting, and ongoing efforts to modernize Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
5. Establish a new Federal Docket for public feedback on NHTSA's updated safe AV development and deployment guidance.
   NHTSA is updating its technical guidance for AVs for the first time since 2017-focusing on key safety areas like emergency responder interactions, safety management systems, remote assistance, and post-crash behavior to help the industry scale up driverless deployments safely.

In addition to these policy changes, NHTSA is reviewing an exemption application from Robomart, Inc., which requests a temporary exemption from certain FMVSS No. 500 requirements for a low-speed vehicle operated by an ADS without a human driver onboard. NHTSA will publish a separate notice seeking public comment on its merits once the initial evaluation is complete.

"NHTSA supports the safe development and deployment of automated vehicles. By removing unnecessary barriers to innovation, developing industry guidance, and providing strong enforcement oversight while we create performance requirements, NHTSA is taking a balanced approach to AV regulation," said NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison. "These advancements will ensure that the United States continues to lead the world in AV technology in a safe and responsible manner."

Additional Information

NHTSA recognizes and supports the immense potential of automated vehicle technology to improve safety on our nation's roadways. Under Secretary Duffy's leadership, the agency has:

• Modernized Safety Standards: Proposed updates to standards governing transmission shifting (102), windshield defrosting/wiping (103/104), tire placards (110), and braking systems (135). In addition, NHTSA announced the intention to update FMVSS for controls and displays (101), vehicle lighting (108), mirrors and rearview display (111), electronic stability control systems (126), and sun visors and warning labels (201/208). Once complete, individual vehicle exemptions may no longer be necessary. (For more, see the new 2026 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda.)
• National Competency Standards: Initiated development of the world's first standards for AV performance that can meet the Vehicle Safety Act's strict objectivity requirements.
• New Safety Guidance: Initiated an upgrade of NHTSA's first major federal safety guidance for AV developers since 2017.
• Improved Exemptions: Streamlined the Automated Vehicle Exemption Program (AVEP) and Part 555 exemption programs for demonstration and commercial fleets and expanded AVEP to include domestic vehicles.