The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today issued a final rule to streamline the application and review process for vehicle petitions submitted by manufacturers while continuing to prioritize safety for drivers, occupants, and other road users.

“Improvements to transportation safety and efficiency are a key part of reimagining vehicles of the future,” said Heidi R. King, NHTSA Deputy Administrator. “This rule improves both the efficiency and transparency of the process to focus on the safety review.”

Manufacturers must submit a petition to apply for temporary exemption if a proposed new vehicle does not comply. Existing federal motor vehicle safety standards were developed when all vehicles had a human driver, and prior to the introduction of automated vehicle technologies, which are rapidly evolving.

To expedite the process in the future, NHTSA issued a final rule that eliminates the provision that calls for the agency to determine a petition is complete before publishing summary notices for public comment. View the final rule here.