While vehicle manufacturers continue to adopt technologies that
make vehicles safer, the safety gains seen in the annual fatality
statistics published by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration ("NHTSA" or the "Agency") have
plateaued and, since approximately 2015, the number of fatalities
has risen. NHTSA estimates that nearly 43,000 people died in
vehicle-related accidents in 2021, approximately 10% more than in
2020. Seeing this trend, the Agency continues to pursue an active
role in enforcing safety standards, investigating potential
safety-related defects, and reviewing emerging technologies.
NHTSA's Approach to Regulating Automated Vehicles and
Automated Driver Assist Systems
