Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 7389

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-05-21: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 1.

Last Updated

2026-05-23T08:07:26Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026 aims to update and improve the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) programs for ensuring motor vehicle safety. It focuses on streamlining rulemaking and research processes, reforming the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP, a voluntary rating system for vehicle safety features), enhancing recall effectiveness, educating consumers on vehicle automation, and conducting studies to address emerging safety challenges like automated driving systems and wheelchair securement.

Key Provisions

• Priority Plan for Rulemaking and Research (Sec. 3): Requires NHTSA to create and update every two years a public plan outlining planned safety rulemakings (e.g., new regulations on vehicle features) and research over the next 36 months. The plan must include timelines, statutory deadlines, links to supporting research, connections to NCAP, and explanations for any delays in congressionally mandated rules.

• NCAP Reforms (Sec. 4):
• Establishes a dedicated NCAP Office led by an expert associate administrator to manage the program, evaluate safety technologies, and create implementation roadmaps.
• Creates a voluntary testing program where manufacturers can self-report vehicle performance results to NHTSA.
• Mandates consumer education campaigns (e.g., websites, ads, partnerships with safety groups) to raise awareness of safety features, with biennial reports on activities and effectiveness.
• Forms an 18-member NCAP Advisory Committee (including consumers, manufacturers, academics, insurers, and safety advocates) to recommend improvements and assess options for public-private partnerships to run NCAP. The committee operates for 10 years without pay for members (travel reimbursed) and is exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).
• Requires a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on implementation within three years.

• Review of Safety Standards (Sec. 5): Mandates NHTSA to review all federal motor vehicle safety standards every four years, considering safety data, technology advances, costs, and international developments. Revisions or eliminations are allowed only if they maintain safety levels, with public input required and results reported to Congress.

• Rulemaking Accountability and Project Management (Secs. 6-7): Updates reporting requirements for NHTSA rulemakings to include progress on milestones and research. Requires adoption of standard project management practices for rulemakings and reports, with a GAO study on implementation in five years.

• Exemptions for Innovative Vehicles (Sec. 8): Provides guidance for manufacturers to seek exemptions from safety standards for new technologies by demonstrating equivalent safety (e.g., via performance tests). Increases the annual vehicle production limit for exemptions from 2,500 to 90,000, extends maximum exemption periods to five years, and sets a one-year deadline for NHTSA decisions (applications are deemed approved if delayed without justification).

• Testing, Recalls, and Notifications (Secs. 9-12):
• Expands NHTSA's authority to test motor vehicle equipment (not just vehicles).
• Requires a study on why recalled vehicles often go unserviced, followed by actions to boost completion rates (e.g., better outreach), with reports in one and four years.
• Allows recalls to use email or other electronic methods alongside mail, unless owners request certified mail.
• Clarifies that manufacturers must decide on defects in good faith; supplier notifications do not automatically trigger vehicle recalls.

• Consumer Education on Automation (Sec. 13): Establishes a working group (with manufacturers, consumers, safety experts, and others) to recommend ways to educate the public on differences between basic driver assistance (Levels 1-2) and advanced automated systems (Levels 3-5, per SAE standards). The group reports in three years, consults the Federal Trade Commission, and is exempt from FACA.

• Studies and Working Groups (Secs. 14-17):
• Vehicle Ownership (Sec. 14): Contracts the National Academies to study trends in vehicle age, ownership costs (e.g., fuel, repairs, insurance), and influencing factors; report in three years.
• Wheelchair Securement (Sec. 15): Studies feasibility of automated systems to secure wheelchairs in vehicles using universal interfaces; report in three years, consulting university centers.
• Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) (Sec. 16): Analyzes VIN system uses and limitations (e.g., for tracking automation or electric features), with recommendations; report in two years after stakeholder consultations.
• Fire Rescue (Sec. 17): Forms a 15-member working group (first responders, manufacturers, academics) to recommend improvements for post-crash extraction, including battery fire safety and vehicle design; report in three years, exempt from FACA.

• Paperwork Exemption (Sec. 18): Exempts NHTSA research and the NCAP Advisory Committee from the Paperwork Reduction Act to improve efficiency in gathering safety data.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends Title 49 of the U.S. Code (motor vehicle safety chapter) in multiple areas:
• NCAP roadmap updates reduce consultation cycles from four to three years and shift authority to the new associate administrator.
• Exemption processes (Sec. 30113) expand vehicle limits, add decision deadlines, and allow performance-based approvals.
• Recall notifications (Sec. 30119) modernize delivery methods.
• Defect reporting (Sec. 30118) adds timing and good-faith clarifications.
• Testing authority (Sec. 30112) explicitly includes equipment.
• Rulemaking reports (from Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) now cover this Act's rules and require milestone details.
• Introduces new entities (e.g., NCAP Office, advisory groups) and study mandates not previously required.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: NHTSA gains structured planning tools, dedicated NCAP leadership, and efficiency exemptions, potentially reducing delays but increasing reporting burdens. GAO oversight ensures accountability. Other agencies (e.g., FTC for education) may collaborate more.
• Citizens: Improved consumer education on safety features and automation could lead to safer purchasing and driving decisions. Enhanced recalls and exemptions may accelerate innovative vehicles (e.g., self-driving cars), reducing injuries, but studies on ownership costs could inform policies affecting affordability.
• International Relations: Standards reviews must consider global policies, potentially aligning U.S. rules with international norms (e.g., SAE automation levels), aiding trade in vehicles but requiring harmonization efforts.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• NHTSA and Federal Agencies: Primary implementers, with added responsibilities for planning, education, and studies.
• Manufacturers and Suppliers: Benefit from streamlined exemptions, voluntary NCAP testing, and recall clarifications; must engage in advisory groups and self-reporting.
• Consumers and Advocacy Groups: Gain better safety information, education on automation, and representation in committees; wheelchair users and crash victims specifically addressed via studies.
• First Responders and Insurers: Involved in fire rescue and VIN working groups; potential benefits from improved post-crash access and data tracking.
• Academia and Research Institutions: Consulted on studies (e.g., wheelchair systems, ownership trends) and represented in committees.
• Congress: Receives regular reports for oversight of NHTSA's progress.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Enhances regulatory transparency and accountability through mandatory plans and deadlines, potentially reducing litigation over delays. Exemptions from FACA and Paperwork Reduction Act streamline operations but could limit public input compared to standard processes. Good-faith clauses in recalls protect manufacturers from undue liability while maintaining safety obligations.
• Constitutional: No direct challenges; provisions align with Congress's commerce clause authority over vehicle safety. Public participation (e.g., comments on standards) upholds due process.
• Political: Promotes innovation in automation and electric vehicles, balancing safety with industry needs, which may appeal across partisan lines. Advisory committees with diverse stakeholders (e.g., consumers vs. manufacturers) foster bipartisanship, but GAO studies provide independent checks on implementation efficacy.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2]

Recent Actions

• 2026-05-21: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 1.
• 2026-05-21: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
• 2026-02-10: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
• 2026-02-10: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
• 2026-02-05: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
• 2026-02-05: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2026-02-05: Introduced in House
• 2026-02-05: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026 — issued 2026-02-05 — PDF (39 pages)