Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 135 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles
Key claim: NHTSA proposes to amend FMVSS No. 135 brake standards to distinguish requirements for vehicles with and without manually operated driving controls, accommodating autonomous driving systems while maintaining core stopping-distance safety requirements.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Transportation Department, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) NHTSA is proposing to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, “Light vehicle brake systems.” The proposed modifications would distinguish how regulations apply to vehicles with and without manually operated driving controls. The proposed modifications would clarify definitions, telltale requirements, performance requirements, and test procedures in the standard and remove sections that are no longer relevant. The stopping distance performance requirements, which address the primary safety purpose of the standard, would still apply to all subject vehicles. This rulemaking would remove unnecessary regulatory burdens and costs without detriment to vehicle safety.
Why this matters
FMVSS were written assuming a human driver with a steering wheel and pedals, and adapting them is a prerequisite for lawful deployment of driverless vehicles in the U.S. This proposed amendment is an early concrete step in translating autonomy policy into binding equipment standards, signaling how NHTSA plans to bifurcate legacy rules for manually-controlled versus ADS-only vehicles. Developers and automakers gain a clearer compliance path, while regulators retain performance-based safety guarantees.