Starting with the 2026 model year, the U.S. government’s automobile safety ratings will undergo a significant overhaul, incorporating new driver-assistance technologies and pedestrian protection tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced these changes on Monday, fulfilling requirements outlined in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.
The updated ratings will include four new technologies: pedestrian automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind spot warning, and interventions to prevent drivers from merging into vehicles in their blind spots. These enhancements aim to broaden the evaluation of vehicle safety beyond just crash protection for occupants.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of these changes, stating that they reflect a commitment to not only safeguard those inside vehicles during accidents but also to enhance safety for pedestrians. “The evaluation of these cars includes how the design of a vehicle could prevent a crash or make it less fatal for someone outside the vehicle,” he said in an interview.
While the traditional five-star crash test ratings will remain unchanged, consumers will soon see green check marks on NHTSA’s website indicating which vehicles are equipped with these new safety features. Initially, these features will be graded on a pass/fail basis, but plans are in place to develop a scoring system to allow for easier comparisons between vehicles.
Buttigieg expressed optimism that these new standards would encourage automakers to accelerate the deployment of safety features, which can be offered as either standard equipment or optional add-ons. “We hope this will move the market in that direction, giving consumers another reason to consider these features when purchasing a vehicle,” he stated.
The new regulations will also strengthen testing requirements for existing safety technologies, such as automatic emergency braking, which must become standard equipment on all passenger vehicles by 2029. Additionally, the NHTSA will establish design standards aimed at reducing pedestrian injuries, mirroring regulations already in place in Europe. These standards will set minimum thresholds for impact points and injuries to pedestrians struck by vehicles traveling at 25 miles per hour.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a major industry trade group, welcomed the updated standards but urged for a more predictable and frequent update cycle to enhance industry investment in safety technologies.
Buttigieg indicated that these updates are just the beginning, with more regulations planned before the end of President Biden’s term. He noted, “We’ve kept that pace up regardless of what we anticipated in the election,” signaling a commitment to advancing rules that will significantly improve vehicle safety.
Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, called for further advancements, including automatic emergency braking for heavy trucks and technologies to prevent impaired driving, highlighting that the U.S. still lags behind other nations in vehicle safety standards.
Despite a significant reduction in fatalities for vehicle occupants—from 32,043 in 2001 to 26,325 in 2021—pedestrian deaths have surged by 51% during the same period, underscoring the urgent need for improved safety measures. In 2021 alone, nearly 41,000 people died in traffic crashes across the nation, marking a 3.6% decline from the previous year, yet still reflecting a troubling upward trend in pedestrian fatalities.
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