{"id":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","slug":"nhtsa-av-framework","kind":"safety_standard","headline":"NHTSA Automated Vehicle regulatory framework (United States)","summary":"The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's framework governing automated-driving-system (ADS) vehicles. It centers on the Standing General Order (SGO 2021-01, first issued June 2021 and amended through 2025) requiring crash reporting for ADS and Level 2 ADAS vehicles; the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS, 49 CFR Part 571) and the Part 555 / Automated Vehicle Exemption Program pathways for vehicles lacking traditional driver controls; and the proposed ADS-equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program (AV STEP). In April 2025, DOT and NHTSA announced a revised AV Framework built on three principles: prioritize safety of AV operations, remove unnecessary regulatory barriers, and enable commercial deployment.","locationId":"aa8b9c05-c836-4021-801f-59801970401e","effectiveAt":"2021-06-29T00:00:00.000Z","expiresAt":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","aliases":["NHTSA AV Framework","Standing General Order 2021-01","AV STEP","Part 555 AV exemption","FMVSS"],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:33.762Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:33.762Z","location":{"id":"aa8b9c05-c836-4021-801f-59801970401e","name":"United States","slug":"united-states","kind":"country","parentLocationId":null,"lat":null,"lng":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","aliases":["USA","US","United States of America"],"collisionRisk":"high","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:33.148Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:33.148Z"},"derived":{"status":"in_effect"},"sources":[{"id":"10f0f610-8c88-44c4-9f5e-db949510f4cc","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/automated-vehicles-safety","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA - Automated Vehicles Safety (official program page)","sourceName":"NHTSA (official)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:34.676Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:34.676Z"},{"id":"5e9e8afa-7695-4876-a888-c7505bee5add","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/streamline-exemption-process-noncompliant","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA - Sec. Duffy streamlines the exemption process for noncompliant automated vehicles (Apr 2025)","sourceName":"NHTSA (official)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:34.826Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:34.826Z"},{"id":"5ee2f284-0ff6-48b0-b7e6-551f33fbdbfd","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2024-12/nprm-av-step-2024-web.pdf","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA NPRM - ADS-equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency, and Evaluation Program (AV STEP) (Dec 2024)","sourceName":"NHTSA (official)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:34.903Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:34.903Z"},{"id":"615fd01c-9f96-497b-8b9f-f1d1ce36e91b","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2025-06/part-555-letter-june-2025.pdf","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA - Part 555 exemption process letter (June 2025)","sourceName":"NHTSA (official)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:34.977Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:34.977Z"},{"id":"67b5b6ee-b563-4f84-b908-fe3993a4856d","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-V/part-571","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"49 CFR Part 571 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS)","sourceName":"eCFR (official)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.055Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.055Z"},{"id":"5dc28696-03d0-44f8-a8f9-5075fd678a30","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.mayerbrown.com/en/insights/publications/2025/04/dot-and-nhtsa-announce-autonomous-vehicle-framework","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"DOT and NHTSA announce the Automated Vehicle Framework (Apr 2025)","sourceName":"Mayer Brown","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.131Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.131Z"},{"id":"9c535d9e-c2e8-4aef-937f-068c92233033","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.crowell.com/en/insights/client-alerts/nhtsa-announces-first-actions-under-trump-administrations-new-framework-for-removing-regulatory-barriers-for-automated-vehicles","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA's first actions under the new AV framework (2025)","sourceName":"Crowell & Moring","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.209Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.209Z"},{"id":"a44a0298-658d-45c8-b14d-1d40b0422b30","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com/2025/04/29/nhtsa-announces-new-policies-to-promote-autonomous-vehicles/","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA announces new policies to promote autonomous vehicles (Apr 2025)","sourceName":"Sidley Austin","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.286Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.286Z"},{"id":"32e6946a-44bf-423a-9da7-cba42a34cc74","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.wardsauto.com/news/archive-auto-nhtsa-part555-streamlines-exemption-process-for-avs/750918/","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA Part 555 streamlines the AV exemption process","sourceName":"WardsAuto","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.359Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.359Z"},{"id":"aedfe005-0589-4306-a65e-1eacfa733f8e","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.sedgwick.com/blog/nhtsa-puts-automated-vehicles-in-the-fast-lane/","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA puts automated vehicles in the fast lane (framework analysis)","sourceName":"Sedgwick","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.436Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.436Z"},{"id":"b42a2b4f-3b58-4bf9-a8aa-c9cf45d846dc","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","url":"https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=42127322-1ad3-424e-84ff-434af6c27c54","label":null,"publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"NHTSA announces new policies to promote autonomous vehicles","sourceName":"Lexology","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.514Z","updatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.514Z"}],"statusEvents":[{"id":"d4724ca2-0a6c-4534-bf14-96f45d536718","regulationId":"f0c8aed1-c14a-497c-977a-475df0eb9d08","status":"in_effect","reason":"Federal framework in effect; baseline status event (Sprint 5a). nhtsa-av-framework","source":"editor:DEPLOY content-agent (Sprint 5a federal regs)","effectiveAt":"2021-06-29T00:00:00.000Z","createdAt":"2026-05-30T22:00:35.591Z"}]}