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Automated Vehicles

Report cover image of a vehicle on a road

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) conducts research, oversight, and stakeholder engagement activities related to Automated Vehicles (AVs) in our national transportation system. America Leads: DOT's National Strategy for Automated Vehicles communicates the Department’s unified approach and goals for AVs and describes critical activities planned and underway.

DOT’s role in AVs includes Federal oversight of motor vehicle safety, operation of CMVs, transportation of hazardous materials, and public transportation; as well as technology policy, research, and stakeholder engagement. The Department’s Operating Administrations and Office of the Secretary have different roles and responsibilities, briefly described below. 

 

  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration oversees the safety of ADS as motor vehicle equipment including through conducting safety oversight and enforcement, issuing guidance, and setting performance standards. 
  • The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is responsible for regulating and providing safety oversight of CMVs, including trucks and buses equipped with ADS. 
  • The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is responsible for national traffic control device (i.e., signs, markings, and signals) standards for streets and highways, administers truck size and weight laws and regulations, and assists State, local, and Federal land management agency stakeholders in assessing and responding to the impacts of the integration of AVs on the Nation’s roadway system.
  • The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) conducts research, demonstrations, and technology transfer related to automated transit buses. 
  • The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) oversees the safety of hazardous materials in transportation, including transportation by AVs.
  • The Office of the Secretary (OST) supports research, demonstration, and stakeholder engagement activities, complementing OA activities. 

For information on USDOT-published research products, visit ROSA-P. 

Last updated: Thursday, September 3, 2026