NHTSA News

Crash Test Dummies Need to Do Better: GAO

A recent report from the Government Accountability Office recommended the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rethink crash test dummies in order to collect better data on more types of people. The investigative arm of Congress that examines the use of …

U.S. Product Recalls Reach 10-Year High in Q1

Over 900 million units were recalled during the first quarter in the United States in the automotive, consumer products, food and drink, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries according to Sedgwick’s latest quarterly Recall Index. Segdwick’s brand-protection experts said it is …

Safety Agency Moves to Ensure Recalls of Defective Auto Batteries

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Tuesday said it is opening a review to ensure all defective batteries produced by LG Energy Solution have been recalled by automakers. The auto safety agency noted Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler-parent Stellantis, General …

U.S. Boosts Fines for Automakers Not Meeting Fuel Economy Rules in Tesla Win

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Sunday reinstated a sharp increase in penalties for automakers whose vehicles do not meet fuel efficiency requirements for model years 2019 and beyond. The decision was a win for Tesla that …

U.S. Issues New Safety Rule Governing Driverless Vehicles

The Biden Administration has issued a final rule intended to ensure safety of occupants in automated vehicles. This rule updates the current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to account for vehicles that may be equipped with automated driving systems (ADS) …

Biden Auto Safety Agency Nominee to Face Senate Committee

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday is set to hold a confirmation hearing on President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency without a permanent leader for nearly five years. The Democratic …

First Half of Year Recorded 18% increase in Road Fatalities

Traffic deaths across the country soared by 18.4% in the first six months of 2021, the largest number of projected fatalities in that time period since 2006. The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that an estimated …

Despite Less Driving During 2020 Pandemic, Traffic Deaths Were Highest In 13 Years

Even though Americans drove less in 2020 due to the pandemic, early estimates of crash fatalities from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released Thursday reveal the largest projected number of deaths since 2007. According to …

With Vehicle Brake Override Widely Adopted, U.S. Sees No Need for Requirement

The Trump administration said Monday it will drop rules first proposed in 2012 that would have required automakers to install brake-throttle override systems to prevent runaway vehicles. The regulation was proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in …

Tesla Hits Parked Police Vehicle in California, Driver Blames Autopilot

The driver of a Tesla Inc. Model S crashed into an unoccupied, parked police vehicle in Laguna Beach, Calif., on Tuesday and the driver told investigators the Tesla was in “Autopilot” mode at the time, police said. The driver suffered …