Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Unveils New National AV Strategy

Roadmap outlines steps to prioritize safety, cut red tape, unleash innovation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today unveiled the Automated Vehicles (AV) National Strategy – a unified plan to secure American leadership in the technologies that are revolutionizing our roadways. After years of AV policy inaction under the Biden-Buttigieg administration, the Trump Administration’s new strategy will further ongoing efforts to slash unnecessary red tape, modernize critical regulations, prioritize safety, and enable the safe development and deployment of these next-generation vehicles.

"The Trump Administration is committed to safely unleashing American innovation on our roads. 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,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “This strategy outlined a plan to empower our innovators to build faster, smarter and safer than ever before.”

This Strategy will empower developers to safely build new AVs at the Speed of Trump with four core objectives:

• Prioritize Safety: Provide guardrails to support and improve safety as the AV industry grows–including the first safety standards for automated vehicle competency.
• Provide Regulatory Certainty: Modernize existing regulations, remove unnecessary barriers, streamline processes, and provide clarity and predictability. Work towards consistency. 
• Promote American Innovation: Expand commercial availability and operation for passenger and freight applications domestically and promote U.S. interests abroad.
• Facilitate Interoperable Corridors: Convene national stakeholders to promote seamless cross-State interoperability within the transportation system.

“This strategy will provide for strict safety oversight, while unlocking the potential for AV technologies to be safely deployed on America's roads,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Jonathan Morrison. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Duffy, our innovators can build faster, smarter and safer than ever before.”

Additional Information

In the last year and a half, USDOT has launched a major AV Framework, leveled the playing field so American innovators are not subject to stricter rules than foreign competitors, slashed redundant red tape, and hosted the agency's first ever AV summit.

The full AV National Strategy is available here.

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