The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA)announced a new Automated Vehicle (AV) Framework as part of the transportation innovation agenda.

"This Administration understands that we're in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn't be higher,” said US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. "As part of DOT's innovation agenda, our new framework will slash red tape and move us closer to a single national standard that spurs innovation and prioritizes safety."

NHTSA's AV Framework has three principles: 

■ Prioritize the safety of ongoing AV operations on public roads

■ Unleash innovation by removing unnecessary regulatory barriers

■ Enable commercial deployment of AVs to enhance safety and mobility for the American public

The first actions under this framework will help accelerate work toward modernizing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to blaze a path for the safe commercial deployments of AVs while improving both safety and mobility for the American people.

To prioritize safety, NHTSA is maintaining its Standing General Order on Crash Reporting for vehicles equipped with certain advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving systems (ADS). At the same time, the agency will streamline the reporting to sharpen the focus on critical safety information while removing unnecessary and duplicative requirements.

"By streamlining the SGO for Crash Reporting and expanding an existing exemption program to domestic vehicles, we are enabling AV manufacturers to develop faster and spend less time on unnecessary process, while still advancing safety," said NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser. "These are the first steps toward making America a more welcoming environment for the next generation of automotive technology."