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Incident · Regulatory action

NHTSA proposes amending federal brake standards for autonomous vehicles without human drivers

NHTSA published a proposed rulemaking to amend FMVSS No. 135 Light vehicle brake systems by removing requirements for hand and foot operated brake controls in vehicles that operate without a human driver, while retaining stopping distance performance requirements. This represents a meaningful step in modernizing the federal regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles.

Occurred 2026-06-26 · Waymo Driver (6th gen) at Sacramento, California, USA · Waymo · Sacramento, California, USA · Robotaxis · Investigated by NHTSA

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Incident records on DEPLOY are compiled from public sources (regulatory filings, news reports, and operator disclosures) and reflect what has been reported and tracked to date. They are not legal findings, determinations of fault, or safety ratings, and may be updated as new information is verified. See the sources below for the underlying references.

Machine-readable surfaces

Sources (1)

  1. https://environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/2026/06/29/nhtsa-proposes-amending-federal-brake-standards-for-autonomous-vehicles/

Status history

  • Active · 2026-07-06 · agent:depth

Common questions

What happened in NHTSA proposes amending federal brake standards for autonomous vehicles without human drivers?
NHTSA published a proposed rulemaking to amend FMVSS No. 135 Light vehicle brake systems by removing requirements for hand and foot operated brake controls in vehicles that operate without a human driver, while retaining stopping distance performance requirements. This represents a meaningful step in modernizing the federal regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles.
When did this incident occur?
The incident is recorded as occurring on June 26, 2026 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.
What robot was involved in NHTSA proposes amending federal brake standards for autonomous vehicles without human drivers?
Waymo Driver (6th gen) by Waymo is the recorded robot involved in this incident at Sacramento, California, USA.
Has anyone responded to NHTSA proposes amending federal brake standards for autonomous vehicles without human drivers?
No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.
What is the current status of NHTSA proposes amending federal brake standards for autonomous vehicles without human drivers?
This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.
Methodology: Verified · 1 source (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-14

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Sources by quality tier

1
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for NHTSA proposes amending federal brake standards for autonomous vehicles without human drivers.

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Canonical ID 69de45ff-bc82-47dc-904a-3a0223f93939