it's not terrible “We’re in a race with China”—DOT eases autonomous car rules Domestic AVs can now get FMVSS exemptions for no rearview mirrors or steering wheels. Jonathan M. Gitlin – Apr 25, 2025 10:12 am | 64 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more The US Department of Transportation issued revised rules for autonomous and partially automated vehicles on Thursday. Despite fears that the Trump administration would roll back safety regulations as it has for air and water standards, crashes involving autonomous or partially automated vehicles must still be reported to the government. And now, domestic autonomous vehicle developers will be able to benefit from exemptions previously only offered to foreign companies. "This administration understands that we're in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn’t be higher," said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a statement. "As part of DOT's innovation agenda, our new framework will slash red tape and move us closer to a single national standard that spurs innovation and prioritizes safety," Duffy said. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is keeping its Standing General Order, which requires manufacturers of autonomous or partially automated vehicles to report crashes that occur with such systems on public roads. Crashes using either autonomous driving systems or a partially automated system like GM's Super Cruise or Tesla's Autopilot must be reported within 10 days if anyone involved was killed or taken to hospital, if a vulnerable road user was hit, if the airbags deployed, or if the vehicle had to be towed away from the crash. For crashes where none of those conditions are satisfied, NHTSA has to be notified within 15 days if other conditions are met, including a property damage threshold, as well as if another vehicle was involved. NHTSA is also opening up exemptions for some federal motor vehicle safety standards for US-based manufacturers. "This exemption promotes innovative designs, such as prototype vehicles, through an iterative review process that considers the overall safety of the vehicle along with the purposes for which the exemption is requested," NHTSA wrote in a letter to the industry. So robotaxis without side-view mirrors or a steering wheel should now be easier to deploy on US streets. The news was welcomed by the automotive industry. "This technology works. It will help improve safety on the roads and increase mobility," said Alliance for Automotive Innovation President and CEO John Bozzella. "But the ability of AV developers, investors, automakers and consumers to reach their full potential has been hamstrung by government inaction. It’s time to move to the next phase of autonomous driving in America, and that requires—urgently requires—a regulatory framework and a pathway to finally and fully deploy AVs in the country." Hopefully there are still enough experts left at NHTSA to handle the paperwork. Earlier this month, dozens of people directly responsible for regulating autonomous vehicle safety were dismissed at the order of Elon Musk, who counts being CEO of Tesla—which is subject to numerous NHTSA safety investigations, many involving partially automated driving—among his many day jobs. Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan M. Gitlin Automotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 64 Comments