In May 2013, the USDOT National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated discussion of federal automated vehicle policy when it issued a “Preliminary Statement of Policy Concerning Automated Vehicles.” This policy statement introduced a 5-level (0-4) hierarchy of automated vehicles and provided basic regulatory guidance to states. NHTSA published a brief update in January 2016, essentially promising that more complete guidance would be forthcoming. The promised Federal Automated Vehicles Policy document was published September 19, 2016. NHTSA has pledged to update the policy document annually. This memo highlights key elements of the NHTSA policy document.
Read the full memo HERE