NHTSA's Plan For Autonomous Car Brakes Will Turn Us All Into Nervous Passengers

[sop]

If autonomous driving is something you find unnerving, the latest proposal baking at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration may turn you off from the idea completely. Last week's update to the US's Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards ends the requirement for manual braking components, aka a brake pedal, in vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS).

It's all part of the US's reality star turned government official reality star, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffey's AV Framework he announced back in April of 2025. Duffey and his goons have been behind the scenes slowing chipping away at unnecessary componentry on automated vehicles that could make "enabling AV manufacturers to develop faster and spend less time on unnecessary process, while still advancing safety," said NHTSA's Chief Counsel Peter Simhauser in the original release.

The particular proposal shared by NHTSA would eliminate the brake pedal and emergency brake levers completely on vehicles meant only for automated driving. Sure, if a human is never meant to drive the vehicle, it would appear that there is no need for manual braking devices. But the problem is that NHTSA's proposal is pretty much betting on the software to appropriately take control and stop if something goes wrong. You, the passenger may not be able to do anything about it.

The proposal states braking controls would be fully taken on by ADS, but an ADS-equipped vehicle should also be able to stop should it be directed by a passenger. NHTSA argues that putting in a manually operated driving control for the passenger "could pose as a safety risk through intentional or unintentional misuse by a vehicle passenger." It's understandable to want to avoid mishaps, but you could also argue maybe it's better to be safe than sorry when your life is in the hands of a machine?

Continued at link:

https://www.jalopnik.com/2203830/nhtsa-plan-autonomous-car-brakes-nearvous/

[bucolic_frolic]

1. I know this is not what it says but can't imagine some other force braking while I'm driving.

This whole autonomous thing seems crazy to me.

[Turbineguy]

2. Seems reasonable

Most people wouldn't think of that as a great way to kill people. Most people would run out of ideas after removing airbags and seatbelts. This is thinking outside the box.

The trump regime is an extinction event.

[LakeVermilion]

3. The manufacturers should cost what a recall and ...

a refit might cost if the technology fails. Could be very expensive to refit a fleet of vehicles for manual braking.

[sop]

4. Product liability suits could get expensive, too.

[Old Crank]

5. They need to work on fixing stuff that kills people now.

Stop allowing the deadly wall front ends of Pickups and SUVs.
When you het some one you kill them by crushing the rib cage before thowing them under the vehicle.
These are deadly by design and along with teh massive blindspots they have from height and A pillars pedestrian and cyclist fatalities are going up.