Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards: Modernization of FMVSS No. 110 for Autonomous Driving System Vehicles
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing an amendment to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110, which governs tire selection, rim requirements, and load carrying capacity information for motor vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds (4,536 kg) or less. The specific change targets the placement requirements for the mandatory tire and loading information placard currently required to be affixed on the 'driver's side' of a vehicle. The proposed rule addresses a practical compliance gap created by fully autonomous vehicles equipped with Automated Driving Systems (ADS) that lack any manually operated driving controls — and therefore have no traditional 'driver's side.' Under the proposal, such vehicles would be permitted to affix the required placard on the left side of the vehicle instead, achieving equivalent safety communication without relying on driver-centric language. This is a narrow, targeted rulemaking affecting only one section of FMVSS No. 110. NHTSA emphasizes that the change does not reduce safety; it simply provides a compliant pathway for a new vehicle configuration. The proposal is part of NHTSA's broader ongoing initiative to update existing motor vehicle safety regulations to accommodate increasing levels of vehicle automation.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Amends FMVSS No. 110 to remove the requirement that the tire/loading information placard must be placed on the 'driver's side' for ADS-equipped vehicles without manual driving controls
- Allows the required placard to be affixed on the left side of the vehicle as an equivalent compliance alternative for driverless ADS vehicles
- Applies specifically to vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kg (10,000 lbs) or less equipped with full ADS lacking any manually operated driving controls
+ 3 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
Affix the tire and loading information placard on the left side of the vehicle for vehicles equipped with Automated Driving Systems (ADS) that lack manually operated driving controls and therefore have no traditional driver's side.
Ensure the tire and loading information placard displays tire selection, rim requirements, and load carrying capacity information as required by FMVSS No. 110.
Continue to comply with existing FMVSS No. 110 requirements for vehicles with a traditional driver's side, maintaining placard placement on the driver's side as originally specified.