Bill to Modernize NHTSA Safety Programs

What This Bill Does

The Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026 would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to publish a recurring 36-month motor vehicle safety rulemaking and research priority plan, starting within 2 years of enactment and updated every 2 years. It also creates an Office of the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), a new NCAP Advisory Committee, a voluntary manufacturer testing program, and consumer education requirements.

For ordinary drivers and car buyers, the bill is mainly about making federal vehicle-safety work more transparent and more focused on newer technologies, including automated driving systems and other passenger vehicle safety features. It directs NHTSA to explain what safety rules and research it plans to pursue, whether technologies have been included in NCAP, and how consumer education on safety technologies will be carried out and reported to Congress.

Who This Bill Affects

For the general public, this bill could improve vehicle safety information and potentially speed up federal attention to emerging technologies like automated driving systems. It would not directly change taxes or benefits, but it could affect how NHTSA prioritizes safety rules, how NCAP is run, and what safety information consumers see when shopping for passenger vehicles.

Latest Status

May 21, 2026

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 1.

Will It Pass?

8% estimated chance of becoming law

Pass percentages are estimates and may be inaccurate.