Noel Fletcher
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration must revamp operational safety regulations and resolve questions about automated surface transportation of hazardous materials to support wider use of autonomous trucks, according to new government guidance.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy released a national strategy report for autonomous vehicles meant “to empower our innovators to build faster, smarter and safer than ever before.”
The document identifies the Transportation Department’s current and future critical activities in a 12-page report called “America Leads: DOT’s National Strategy for Automated Vehicles.” The timeline for DOT actions spans fiscal years 2026-2030.
The report outlined DOT actions to eliminate red tape, update key regulations and ensure safety while promoting greater use of AVs.
“The Trump administration is committed to safely unleashing American innovation on our roads,” Duffy said. “We’re doing so because of the exciting promise new technologies like AVs have in reducing roadway fatalities, enhancing mobility and fundamentally reshaping how people move for the better.”
To facilitate the adoption of autonomous commercial motor vehicles, FMCSA is amending Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations “to ensure the safe introduction and oversight of CMVs equipped with automated driving system on roadways.”
The report underscored that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will continue evaluating AV road use for potential safety defects, including through crash reporting and recalls. The agency also will seek to resolve problems with manufacturers, developers and operators.
“This strategy will provide for strict safety oversight, while unlocking the potential for AV technologies to be safely deployed on America’s roads,” said NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison.
FMCSA activities
The report reinforced that DOT regulations, including those from NHTSA and FMCSA, currently allow the use and development of AVs, which still must adhere to federal rules unless granted exemptions.
Yet both agencies must adjust regulations crafted when lawmakers presumed only human drivers would operate vehicles.
“In addition to traditional oversight tools such as standards development and rulemaking, DOT will use its convening authority to engage stakeholders to solicit input and encourage consistent approaches and best practices for the safe deployment of these vehicles,” the document predicted.
FMCSA mainly faces indirect barriers because it must modify existing operational safety requirements to include automated CMVs.
The report said other areas under FMCSA’s authority “require modernization to ensure effective oversight and the safe operation of all CMVs” because the agency’s responsibilities include motor carrier operations and vehicle maintenance inspections.
“Many of these standards remain relevant to the safety of AVs, such as seat belt requirements for passengers. However, applying certain regulations to AVs creates unintended and unnecessary regulatory barriers that do not serve a safety purpose because they were created with the assumption of a human driver in the vehicle,” the report stated.
FMCSA has been tasked with developing an Emergency Response Framework for ADS-equipped CMVs. Research is needed to determine how emergency responders can safely and effectively interact with ADS-equipped CMVs. The goal is to create a standardized framework of emergency response protocols for autonomous CMVs.
Hazardous materials
Introducing greater transportation automation raises issues for DOT involving the surface transportation system and movement of hazardous materials.
Consequently, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has published a proposed rulemaking asking for stakeholder comments about possible changes to the Hazardous Materials Regulations to facilitate the safe transportation of hazardous materials using highly automated transportation systems.
Digital modernization of interstates
DOT highlighted the need to bring transportation stakeholders together to create interoperable national corridors across states.
“DOT is exploring a seamlessly integrated transportation network where real-time data connectivity transforms how people and goods move across the country and how services are provided,” the report noted. “By bridging the gap between physical infrastructure and digital intelligence along our interstate and other national highway system routes, we aim to create a safer, more efficient, privacy-protected and future-ready mobility environment for all road users.”
One initiative seeks to partner with stakeholders to enable real-time data sharing along interstate highway systems, including information about emergency road closures and temporary road realignments.
According to the report, road improvements, enhanced digital infrastructure and vehicle-to-everything communications are complementary technologies that may benefit AVs as well as transportation systems.
However, DOT noted:
- AVs “do not and will not” rely on available third-party information or smart infrastructure for safety-critical activities.
- Infrastructure and telecommunications changes aren’t required first steps to deploy AVs.
- Infrastructure owner-operators initially are not expected to invest in AV-specific physical or digital infrastructure prior to AV rollout.
