Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 103 and FMVSS No. 104 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles; Incorporation by Reference

What it does

NHTSA is proposing to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) No. 103, "Windshield defrosting and defogging systems," and FMVSS No. 104, "Windshield wiping and washing systems." The proposed modifications would except vehicles equipped with Automated Driving Systems (ADS) that do not have manually operated driving controls from these standards. This rulemaking would remove unnecessary regulatory burdens and costs associated with systems intended to provide visibility for a person driving the vehicle. As these systems do not fulfill the same safety need on an ADS-equipped vehicle without manually operated driving controls, the proposed changes are not expected to have adverse safety effects. Manufacturers may still provide these systems if they choose to do so. These actions are part of a larger NHTSA effort to address vehicle automation in the agency's regulations. This proposal would also harmonize FMVSS Nos. 103 and 104 with current industry standards through incorporations by reference.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What it would change

1 part of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

49 CFR 571

Before this

No earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 2127-AM71 since Jan. 1, 2025.

What happens next and when

Comments should be submitted no later than April 15, 2026.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Docket NHTSA-2026-0629 on Regulations.gov
• Title 49 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register