· 7 min read
Can a driverless vehicle legally skip the brake pedal?
NHTSA has proposed a path for purpose-built automated vehicles without manual controls, but it has not issued a final rule or relaxed stopping-distance requirements.
News category
Regulation
Car Model History explainers and research covering automotive regulation, with publication dates and primary sources.
· 7 min read
EPA repealed vehicle greenhouse-gas rules: what changed?
The repeal is final and effective, but it does not erase every federal emissions or fuel-economy requirement. Here is the boundary buyers and owners need to understand.
· 6 min read
The new-car seat-belt warning deadline moved to 2028
A September 2026 deadline is still circulating, but NHTSA has already delayed the enhanced front- and rear-seat warning requirements. Here is what the effective rule now says.
· 9 min read
Automotive safety history: belts, brakes, airbags and crash tests
The major safety milestones did not arrive together. This guide separates invention, regulation, phase-in and real-world fleet adoption.
· 9 min read
Electric, hybrid, and emissions overview
Electric propulsion predates the modern automobile industry; batteries, fuel prices, policy and manufacturing determined when it became practical at scale.
· 6 min read
Driver-monitoring camera mandate: will new cars watch the driver?
Congress ordered a safety rule, but that is not the same as a final nationwide mandate for driver-facing cameras. Here is what is actually on the books.