Automated Vehicle Public Notices

Office of the Secretary (OST)

• Request for comment on Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0 (AV 4.0) - Docket Comment Period Closes on April 2, 2020
  • U.S. DOT published Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0 (AV 4.0) on January 8, 2020. U.S. DOT is seeking comments from stakeholders and the public on AV 4.0. 
• Request for comment on V2X Communications - Docket Comment Period Closed on February 25, 2019.
  • U.S. DOT issued a request for comments to solicit comment and feedback on V2X Communications. 
• Request for comment on Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicle 3.0 (AV 3.0) - Docket Comment Period Closed on December 3, 2018
  • U.S. DOT published Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0 (AV 3.0) on October 4, 2018. U.S. DOT is seeking comments from stakeholders and the public on AV 3.0. 
• Request for comment on the scope of the study on the Impact of Automated Vehicle Technologies on Workforce - Docket Comment Period Closed on November 5, 2018
  • U.S. DOT issued a request for comments to solicit comment and feedback on the scope of the study on the Impact of Automated Vehicle Technologies on Workforce.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

• Request for Information on Integration of Automated Driving Systems (ADS) into the Highway Transportation System - Docket comment period closed on March 5, 2018
  • To better understand what is needed to accommodate ADS technologies, and maximizing their potential benefits, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) seeks the public's input through a formal RFI to supplement strategy development.  Advancing the next generation of America's transportation network can only happen with input from an array of informed sources, including stakeholders, industry experts and the public at large.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

• Safe Integration of Automated Driving Systems-Equipped Commercial Motor Vehicles - Docket comment period closes on August 28, 2019
  • FMCSA requests public comment about Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that may need to be amended, revised, or eliminated to facilitate the safe introduction of automated driving systems (ADS) equipped commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) onto our Nation's roadways. In approaching the task of adapting its regulations to accommodate automated vehicle technologies, FMCSA is considering changes to its rules to account for significant differences between human operators and ADS.
• Request for Comments Concerning Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) Which May Be a Barrier to the Safe Testing and Deployment of Automated Driving Systems-Equipped Commercial Motor Vehicles on Public Roads - Docket comment period closed on May 10, 2018
  • FMCSA requests public comments on existing Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that may need to be updated, modified, or eliminated to facilitate the safe introduction of automated driving systems (ADS) equipped commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) onto our Nation's roadways. 

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

• Request for Information on Automation in the Railroad Industry - Docket comment period closed on May 7, 2018
  • FRA requests information and comment on the future of automation in the railroad industry. FRA is interested in hearing from industry stakeholders, the public, local and State governments, and any other interested parties on the potential benefits, costs, risks, and challenges to implementing automated railroad operations. FRA also seeks comment on how the agency can best support the railroad industry's development and implementation of new and emerging technologies in automation that could lead to safety improvements or increased efficiencies in railroad operations.
• Broad Agency Announcement for Research Initiatives in Support of Rail Safety - Response Date: May 24, 2018 at 1:00pm Eastern
  • The purpose of this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is to solicit a variety of basic and applied technology research projects that will support the strategic objectives of the Office of Research, Development and Technology and the research needs of the four Federal Railroad Administration research divisions.
• Broad Agency Announcement for Intelligent Railroad System Research- Response Date: July 27, 2018 at 1:00pm Eastern
  • The purpose of this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is to solicit basic and applied technology research projects that will support Department of Transportation and Federal Railroad Administration goals to advance automation in the rail industry.

Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

• Integrated Mobility Innovation Demonstration Program Notice of Funding - Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov website by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time 08/06/2019.
  • FTA announces the availability of $15 million of Fiscal Year 2017 and Fiscal Year 2018 research funds for eligible projects. Synopses and full announcement is posted on Grants.gov as opportunity FTA-2019-008-TRI.
• Request for Comments on Automated Transit Buses Research Program - Docket comment period closed on March 2, 2018
  • This RFC will obtain transit industry comment regarding the current and near-future status of automated transit buses and related technologies. Comments received will assist FTA in developing future Notices of Funding Opportunity’s (NOFO) for transit bus automation demonstrations with respect to the industry’s ability and interest. Concepts for the NOFOs on demonstrations and evaluations of transit bus automation usage will be defined in FTA’s Strategic Transit Automation Research (STAR) plan. A premise of the STAR plan is to leverage and apply commercially available technology and products to the public transit industry to hasten early demonstrable outcomes.
• Request for Comments on Removing Barriers to Transit Bus Automation - Docket comment period closed on March 2, 2018
  • This RFC will obtain transit industry comment regarding current or potential institutional, regulatory, or other policy barriers to the development, demonstration, deployment, and evaluation of automated transit buses and related technologies. Some Federal policy issues are addressed in the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Automated Driving Systems (ADS): A Vision for Safety 2.0.  Information from the second RFC will help inform FTA’s approach to the planned update of this document, which may include additional multi-modal considerations. Information from the RFC will also provide critical feedback on potential modifications of FTA rules, regulations, and agency guidance.

Maritime Administration (MARAD)

• Request for Information on Opportunities, Challenges and Impacts of Automated Transportation in a Port Environment - Docket comment period closes on September 3, 2019
  • MARAD is interested in engaging in research that may help support strategies to safely implement automated transportation on and around ports. To that end, MARAD is publishing this RFI to solicit views from the public, including stakeholders (e.g.,State and local agencies, vehicle, train, vessel, infrastructure, and equipment design, development and manufacturing industries, intelligent transportation systems industry, technology developers, related associations, etc.), on a range of issues related to the safety effects, opportunities, challenges and impacts of automated transportation in a port environment to inform potential research projects.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

• Grant of Temporary Exemption for a Low-Speed Vehicle with an Automated Driving System, Nuro - February 6, 2020
  • NHTSA granted Nuro’s request for a temporary exemption from certain low-speed vehicle standard requirements. The exemption will allow the company to deploy its low-speed, occupantless electric delivery vehicle, the “R2.”  Unlike a conventional low-speed vehicle, the R2 is designed to have no human occupant and operates exclusively using an automated driving system. 
• Removing Regulatory Barriers for Vehicles With Automated Driving Systems - Docket comment period closes on August 28, 2019
  • NHTSA is seeking public comment on the near- and long-term challenges of testing and verifying compliance with existing crash avoidance (100-series) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSSs) for Automated Driving System-Dedicated Vehicles (ADS-DVs) that lack traditional manual controls necessary for a human driver to maneuver the vehicle and other features intended to facilitate operation of a vehicle by a human driver, but that are otherwise traditional vehicles with typical seating configurations.
• General Motors, LLC-Receipt of Petition for Temporary Exemption From Various Requirements of the Safety Standards for an All-Electric Vehicle With an Automated Driving System - Docket comment period closed on May 20, 2019
  • Notice of receipt of petition for temporary exemption; request for public comment.
• Nuro, Inc.; Receipt of Petition for Temporary Exemption for an Electric Vehicle With an Automated Driving System - Docket comment period closed on May 20, 2019
  • Notice of receipt of petition for temporary exemption; request for public comment.
• Advance notice of proposed rulemaking: Pilot Program for Collaborative Research on Motor Vehicles With High or Full Driving Automation - Docket comment period closed on November 26, 2018
  • NHTSA is seeking public comment on matters related to the near-term and long-term challenges of Automated Driving Systems (ADS) testing, development and eventual deployment.
• Request for Comments on Removing Regulatory Barriers for Automated Driving Systems - Docket comment period closed on March 20, 2018
  • NHTSA is seeks comments to identify any unnecessary regulatory barriers to Automated Safety Technologies, and for the testing and compliance certification of motor vehicles with unconventional automated vehicles designs, particularly those that are not equipped with controls for a human driver. Further, NHTSA seeks comments on the research that would be required to remove such regulatory barriers.

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

• Request for Information on Regulatory Challenges to Safely Transporting Hazardous Materials by Surface Modes in an Automated Vehicle Environment - Docket comment period closed on May 7, 2018
  • PHMSA requests information on matters related to the development and potential use of automated technologies for surface modes (i.e.,highway and rail) in hazardous materials transportation. In anticipation of the development, testing, and integration of Automated Driving Systems in surface transportation, PHMSA is issuing this request for information on the factors the Agency should consider to ensure continued safe transportation of hazardous materials without impeding emerging surface transportation technologies.