Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 3649

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-05-30: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Last Updated

2026-03-04T09:06:30Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act of 2025 aims to enhance road safety by requiring advanced automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems in new vehicles. AEB is a technology that automatically applies a vehicle's brakes to avoid or reduce the severity of collisions. The legislation focuses on protecting vulnerable road users (VRUs), such as cyclists and pedestrians, by mandating that AEB systems detect and respond to them effectively.

Key Provisions

• Rulemaking Requirement: The Secretary of Transportation must issue a final rule within 3 years of the Act's enactment to set minimum performance standards for AEB systems in new covered vehicles (defined below).
• Performance Standards: AEB systems must:
• Function in daylight and low-light conditions.
• Meet the maximum activation speed threshold for the vehicle (the highest speed at which the system can reliably engage).
• Detect and respond to VRUs, accounting for variations in skin tones, clothing colors, and protective gear (e.g., helmets or jackets).
• Compliance Timeline: Vehicle manufacturers must comply with the rule no later than 2 model years after the year in which the final rule is issued.
• Definitions:
• Covered Vehicles: Passenger cars (vehicles carrying up to 10 people, excluding motorcycles, trailers, or multipurpose vehicles), multipurpose passenger vehicles (up to 10 people, built on a truck chassis or with off-road features), and trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less (a measure of a vehicle's maximum loaded weight).
• Vulnerable Road User (VRU): Includes pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and other cyclists, as defined in existing federal transportation law.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This Act builds on current federal regulations that already define AEB systems but introduces mandatory minimum standards for their performance, particularly in detecting diverse VRUs and operating in varied lighting and speed conditions. Previously, AEB was not universally required in all new vehicles, and there were no specific federal mandates addressing biases in detection (e.g., based on skin tone or clothing). The Act directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to formalize these requirements through rulemaking, potentially expanding beyond voluntary industry guidelines.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: The DOT will need to develop, issue, and enforce the new rule, which may require additional resources for testing, oversight, and compliance monitoring.
• Citizens: Improved AEB could reduce collisions involving VRUs, potentially saving lives and decreasing injuries, especially for cyclists and pedestrians in urban or low-light areas. However, it may lead to higher vehicle prices due to added technology costs.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though U.S. automakers exporting vehicles or importing parts could face alignment challenges with global standards; foreign manufacturers selling in the U.S. must comply, affecting trade in the automotive sector.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Vehicle Manufacturers: Required to install and upgrade AEB systems in new models, facing costs for research, development, and testing.
• Vulnerable Road Users: Cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and others who stand to benefit from enhanced detection and braking capabilities.
• General Public and Drivers: All new vehicle buyers will have access to safer cars, but compliance costs could indirectly raise prices.
• Department of Transportation (DOT): Responsible for implementing and enforcing the rule.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The Act leverages the federal government's authority under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act to regulate vehicle safety standards, ensuring uniformity across states. It promotes equity in technology by addressing potential detection biases, which could set precedents for anti-discrimination in AI-driven systems.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce, as vehicle manufacturing and sales are national industries; no apparent conflicts with state rights or individual freedoms.
• Political: Named after Magnus White, a cyclist killed in a 2021 accident, the bill emphasizes pedestrian and cyclist safety amid growing urban biking trends. Referred to House committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and Commerce, it could influence broader debates on automotive technology mandates and road safety funding.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]

Cosponsors (21)

Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4], Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7], Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3], Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6], Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19]

Recent Actions

• 2025-05-30: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-05-29: Introduced in House
• 2025-05-29: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-29 — PDF (4 pages)