U.S. to update vehicle safety ratings with new standards in 2026

This reform is part of a series of changes required by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

Starting with the 2026 model year, U.S. government vehicle safety ratings will undergo a significant update, introducing new driver assistance technologies and specific tests to protect pedestrians. This reform, announced on November 18 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is part of a series of changes required by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

Among the key changes, four new safety technologies will be incorporated that vehicles must meet in order to achieve a safety rating:

Automatic emergency braking for pedestrians.
Lane-keeping assist.
Blind spot warning.
Intervention if a driver attempts to approach another vehicle in a blind spot.

Additionally, testing procedures and performance standards for existing technologies, such as automatic emergency braking, will be strengthened.

The new rules will maintain the five-star rating for crash tests, which continues to be the standard for assessing safety in collisions. However, vehicles equipped with the new driver assistance features will receive green marks on their window stickers, making it easier to identify the safest models. Initially, technologies will be evaluated as either pass or fail, but in the future, detailed scores will be provided so buyers can more easily compare vehicles.

New technologies as standard equipment in vehicles

These changes are expected to accelerate the deployment of these technologies by automakers, who are already competing for customers based on crash test ratings. According to the Department of Transportation, manufacturers will be required to include these safety technologies as standard equipment in their vehicles to be recognized for compliance.

Another reform includes specific design standards to mitigate pedestrian injuries, largely based on European regulations, which set requirements to reduce impact and injuries in a 40 km/h pedestrian collision.

These new standards aim not only to improve the safety of vehicle occupants during an accident but also to minimize the risk of accidents and reduce the severity of injuries to people outside the vehicle. Although traffic fatalities have generally decreased in recent years, pedestrian deaths have risen significantly, highlighting the need to improve road safety for all users.

The Department of Transportation plans to continue pushing for other regulations during President Joe Biden’s administration, with the goal of further improving road safety.