AV STEP Program (ADS Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation) — Withdrawal

Current understanding

NHTSA had proposed the ADS-Equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program (AV STEP) as a voluntary framework for operators of automated driving system-equipped vehicles to submit safety information and performance data in exchange for federal oversight and public transparency. NHTSA is now withdrawing the AV STEP NPRM, signaling a shift away from this voluntary transparency structure toward other ADS regulatory initiatives. Status: proposed rule withdrawn.

Evidence log

• 2026-06-26 — ADS-Equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program; Withdrawal: cross-connection with fmvss-135-ads-modernization: Both are NHTSA ADS-focused rulemakings; withdrawing the voluntary AV STEP transparency program shifts more regulatory weight onto mandatory FMVSS updates like FMVSS 135 for governing ADS-equipped vehicles. (novelty: 3)

Open questions

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