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ARTICLE · 03 MAY 2022

DOT Amends Safety Standards To Account For Autonomous Vehicles

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On March 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a first-of-its-kind final rule updating occupant safety requirements...

United StatesTransport
Susan Lent
Susan Lent
Natasha Kohne
Natasha Kohne
Michelle Reed
Michelle Reed
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On March 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a first-of-its-kind final rule updating occupant safety requirements to account for vehicles that lack the traditional manual controls associated with a human driver.1

The rule amends the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) on occupant protection, changing terminology to reflect the spatial layout of autonomous vehicles (AVs), which come equipped with Automated Driving Systems (ADS),2 and changing the standards to maintain the level of safety provided to occupants in traditional vehicles.

This rule becomes effective September 26, 2022 (early compliance is optional). NHTSA will receive petitions for reconsideration on or before May 16, 2022.

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