Overview

The Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology (NETT) Council is an internal deliberative body at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) tasked with identifying and resolving jurisdictional and regulatory gaps that may impede the deployment of new technology, such as tunneling, hyperloop, autonomous vehicles, and other innovations.

USDOT consists of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and nine operating administrations (OAs), each with its own traditional jurisdiction over certain environmental and regulatory approvals. New technologies may not always fit precisely into the Department’s existing regulatory structure, potentially resulting in a slower pace of transportation innovation.

Inventors and investors approach USDOT to obtain necessary safety authorizations, permits, and funding and often face uncertainty about how to coordinate with the Department. The NETT Council will address these challenges by ensuring that the traditional modal silos at DOT do not impede the safe deployment of new technology. Furthermore, it will give project sponsors a single point of access to discuss plans and proposals.

The DOT recently published Pathways to the Future of Transportation, a guidance document from the NETT Council. The public is invited to comment on the document and NETT activities in general through the Request for Comment published in the Federal Register. 

The NETT Council Charter establishes the responsibilities and duties of the NETT Council.