DOT narrows brake-pedal rules for autonomous-only vehicles while keeping safety tests
Under the Automated Vehicle Framework, the NHTSA launched rulemaking to remove the manual brake-pedal mandate for ADS-only vehicles while preserving stopping-distance performance standards; vehicles with human controls remain subject to existing FMVSS 135 rules, and the agency will continue safety testing, enforcement, and recalls as it modernizes regulations to accelerate AV innovation.