The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published a notice outlining the agency's approach to streamlining its exemption process for commercial deployment of Automated Vehicles and adopting a flexible approach to evaluating these exemptions.

The exemption will continue to allow manufacturers to sell up to 2,500 motor vehicles per year that do not fully comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. This includes vehicles that do not have traditional steering wheels, driver-operated brakes, or rearview mirrors. Manufacturers must demonstrate that their vehicles provide an equivalent safety level as compliant vehicles and that the exemption is in the public interest. 

For exemption applications under 49 CFR Part 555 for vehicles with Automated Driving Systems (ADS), NHTSA will adopt conditions to the exemption that might be flexible over time as the ADS technology evolves. The new regulatory approach also involves improvements to NHTSA's internal processes to expedite processing time, improve transparency, and increase engagement with applicants. NHTSA will issue improved instructions to give applicants a better idea of what to expect and ensure they provide necessary information up front.