The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has taken another significant step toward preparing federal regulations for the age of autonomous vehicles, proposing to eliminate the requirement for manual brake pedals in vehicles designed to operate exclusively without a human driver.
The proposed update to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135 would remove the long-standing requirement for hand or foot operated brake controls on vehicles that are never intended to be driven by a person. While the change may seem straightforward, it addresses one of the biggest regulatory obstacles facing purpose-built robotaxis such as Tesla’s Cybercab and similar vehicles from companies like Zoox.
The proposal is part of the Department of Transportation’s broader Automated Vehicle Framework, which aims to modernize decades-old safety regulations originally written for conventional passenger vehicles.
“The move builds on the agency’s effort to safely unleash American innovation and rethink the types of equipment – like windshield wipers or a rearview mirror – vehicles don’t need if a human being will never drive the car,” NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said.
Safety standards remain in place
Despite removing the requirement for a physical brake pedal, NHTSA is not relaxing braking performance standards. Vehicles covered by the proposal would still be required to meet the same federal stopping-distance requirements as today’s vehicles.
Instead of using traditional pedal-operated testing methods, manufacturers would be allowed to demonstrate compliance through alternative testing procedures appropriate for automated driving systems.
The agency also emphasized that the rule change applies only to vehicles built without human driving controls. Autonomous vehicles that continue to include a steering wheel and pedals will still be required to meet all existing FMVSS requirements.
At the same time, NHTSA said it is continuing work on a separate set of performance-based safety standards that will evaluate how autonomous driving systems behave in real-world driving situations. The agency also stressed it will continue using its existing defect investigation and recall authority to oversee automated driving systems that present safety risks.
What’s next
The proposal now enters the federal rulemaking process, including a public comment period before any final regulation is adopted. While it does not immediately authorize the deployment of fully autonomous vehicles, it removes another regulatory barrier as NHTSA continues reshaping its safety standards for an increasingly driverless future.
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