The National Highway Traffic Administration released new steps to develop a unified regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles.
In late April, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the steps would include easing crash reporting requirements and expanding eligible vehicles under the Automated Vehicle Exemption Program.
“By streamlining the SGO (Standing General Order) for Crash Reporting and expanding an existing exemption program to domestic vehicles, we are enabling AV manufacturers to develop faster and spend less time on unnecessary process while still advancing safety,” NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser said. “These are the first steps toward making America a more welcoming environment for the next generation of automotive technology.”
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Easing crash reporting requirements
NHTSA in 2021 issued a Standing General Order that requires manufacturers to report any crashes involving automated driving systems. In 2021, 2023, and now 2025, NHTSA amended the order.
The latest SGO amendment takes effect June 16. Among other things, the amended SGO makes the following significant changes:
- Removes the requirement that every covered company report incidents, even if it has been reported by a separate company
- Removes the requirement that covered companies submit at least one report every month
- Extended the deadline for incident reports involving fatalities from one calendar day to five calendar days
- Added a requirement that companies report incidents involving more than $1,000 in property damage
Key principles for AV regulation
Duffy referred to the steps as NHTSA’s new Automated Vehicle Framework, defining it with three key principles:
- Prioritize safety.
- Unleash innovation.
- Enable commercial deployment.
The Department of Transportation said that NHTSA’s plan to ease crash reporting requirements is part of the “prioritize safety” principle, while the AV exemption expansion fulfills the other two principles.
