Trump Transition Team Recommends Nixing Car Crash Reporting Rule

The incoming Trump administration appears poised to end a requirement that carmakers disclose crash data for vehicles using automated systems, according to a Reuters article by Jarrett Renshaw, Rachael Levy and Chris Kirkham. “NHTSA's so-called standing general order requires automakers to report crashes if advanced driver-assistance or autonomous-driving technologies were engaged within 30 seconds of impact, among other factors.”

The rule is opposed by Tesla founder Elon Musk, whose cars have been involved in multiple fatal crashes and whose company is under multiple federal investigations. Tesla vehicles accounted for 40 out of 45 crashes reported to the NHTSA under the rule this year.

“The recommendation to kill the crash-reporting rule came from a transition team tasked with producing a 100-day strategy for automotive policy. The group called the measure a mandate for ‘excessive’ data collection, the document seen by Reuters shows.” In a statement, the NHTSA called the reporting “crucial to evaluating the safety of emerging automated-driving technologies.”