Trump’s team reportedly wants to end NHTSA reporting requirement for car crashes involving automated systems

According to a report from Reuters, president-elect Donald Trump’s transition team is trying to kill a rule set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that requires automakers to report crashes if advanced driver assistance technology or automated driving systems were in use within 30 seconds of the crash. The NHTSA issued the Standing General Order in 2021, stating that its goal is to gather data that could help it identify potential safety issues. 

The data has been used in investigations into crashes involving six companies so far, including Tesla and GM’s Cruise (which is shutting down its robotaxi program as of this week). Tesla “despises” the reporting requirement and believes the data could be misleading to consumers, Reuters reports, citing sources close to Tesla executives. In a document seen by Reuters, the transition team in charge of making a 100-day strategy for automotive policy reportedly recommended that the incoming administration repeal the requirement, saying it calls for “excessive” data collection. 

It’s unknown whether Elon Musk — who donated over $250 million to help Trump get elected and was chosen to lead the new “Department of Government Efficiency” alongside Vivek Ramaswamy — had any hand in the recommendation. Tesla has reported over 1,500 crashes, and accounted for 40 out of 45 fatal crashes reported to the NHTSA, Reuters reports. But, according to University of South Carolina law professor Bryant Walker Smith, who spoke to Reuters, Tesla has more cars on the road with advanced driver assistance technology and collects more real-time crash data than other companies, which could make for a disproportionate number of incidents reported.

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