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On March 10, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hosted a public National Autonomous Vehicles (AV) Safety Forum, bringing together federal officials, regulators, and leading figures from the autonomous vehicle industry for a full day of discussions on safety, regulation, and the road ahead for commercial scaling of AVs.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy opened the forum by characterizing the current moment as a “golden age” of innovation for autonomous vehicles, while acknowledging the need for a “Goldilocks approach” — one that avoids moving too fast at the risk of compromising safety, or moving too slowly at the risk of falling behind global competitors.Continue Reading NHTSA Holds Public National Safety Forum on Autonomous Vehicles

Yesterday, the Washington, D.C. Auto Show held its annual “Public Policy Day” to kick off the event, which is a staple in the city each January. The conference started with a discussion by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan’s Sixth District and Congressman Bob Latta of Ohio’s Fifth District, moderated by Thomson Reuters correspondent, Dave Shepardson. In addition to panels reflecting multiple industry perspectives, the five-hour program featured a keynote presentation by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that was moderated by John Bozzella, President & CEO of The Alliance for Automotive Innovation; a closing discussion by NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison that was moderated by Mike Stanton, President and CEO of the National Automobile Dealers Association; and a fireside chat with Department of Energy Under Secretary Alex Fitzsimmons and others.    Continue Reading On the Cutting Edge: The D.C. Auto Show’s “Public Policy Day”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hosted its Fall 2025 Safety Research Portfolio Public Meeting on November 20. See below the main topics discussed, which offer insights into the agency’s ongoing and future research initiatives aimed at improving roadway safety.

NHTSA’s Strategic Priorities

In his opening remarks, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison shared the agency’s current key priorities:

  • Increase technical engagement between the automotive industry and stakeholders.
  • Enhance the agency’s transparency and communication with an outward-facing approach.
  • Work to bring down the average age of vehicles (currently 13 years), by making cars more affordable.
  • Deter risky driving behaviors such as impaired and distracted driving.
  • Improve emergency post-crash responses.
  • Promote technological innovation—especially automated driving—while maintaining a focus on safety.

Continue Reading Report: NHTSA’s Fall 2025 Safety Research Portfolio Public Meeting

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Last Thursday, the Senate confirmed three of President Trump’s picks for Department of Transportation (DOT) administrator positions:

  • Jonathan Morrison, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
  • Sean McMaster, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
  • Paul Roberti, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

The confirmations were considered “en bloc,” meaning that the administrators, along with 45 of President…

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On April 24, the Department of Transportation announced the Trump Administration’s new framework for the regulation of Automated Vehicles (“AVs”). To learn more, please read our Client Alert NHTSA Announces First Actions Under Trump Administration’s New Framework for Removing Regulatory Barriers for Automated Vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published the below notices of final rulemaking this month. Specifically, NHTSA published one correction to its recent final rule on child restraint systems, and two notifications of enforcement discretion announcing that it would not enforce the requirements of two of its new final rules until March 20, pursuant to the “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review” presidential memorandum. The agency did not take further actions on these rules after March 20 and they remain effective.Continue Reading NHTSA Rulemaking Roundup: March 2025

On February 11, 2025, President Trump nominated Jonathan Morrison to be Administrator of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Notably, this will not be Morrison’s first stint at NHTSA as he served as Chief Counsel at NHTSA during the first Trump Administration.

Morrison has a long history of automotive-focused work. Before his first tenure at NHTSA, he was President of Auto Advisory Services, Inc. and head of legal and regulatory affairs for the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA). Auto Advisory Services, Inc. is described on Morrison’s LinkedIn as an association providing assistance to a network of “over 500 California dealerships, including many of the largest dealer groups in the country.” His LinkedIn further indicates he “held primary responsibility over CNCDA’s legal compliance operations, developing guidance for dealers in response to new or amended statutes, regulations, court opinions, or law enforcement activity” while also working to create “legislative and regulatory policy proposals to benefit the new car industry, and defeating or narrowing proposals that would be harmful to the industry.”Continue Reading NHTSA Administrator Nominee

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published the below notices of final rulemaking in the Federal Register this month. Specifically, NHTSA published four delays of the effective dates of recent final rules following last month’s “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review” presidential memorandum directing agencies to further review final rules that have not yet taken effect. See below for brief summaries of the new rules’ extended effective dates.

Continue Reading NHTSA Rulemaking Roundup: February 2025