Feds want robotaxis to signal ‘I’m driving’ with cyan-colored lights

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Proposed Changes to FMVSS No. 108":"> The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed changes to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, specifically addressing autonomous vehicles. The proposed changes include the addition of cyan-colored marker lamps to clearly and consistently signal when an automated driving system is operating the vehicle.","

Standardization of Autonomous Vehicle Communication":"> The proposed changes aim to standardize how autonomous vehicles communicate with the world around them, starting with a distinct blue-green light. This follows previous debates about how autonomous vehicles should signal when a human is not at the wheel, such as flashing text, audio alerts, or custom lights.","

Precedent and Industry Adoption":"> Mercedes-Benz has already received state-level approval for turquoise lights on its Level 3 Drive Pilot cars, even though the automaker has since moved to a Level 2++ system. The proposed standard could help automakers like Waymo, Nuro, and Zoox, as well as manufacturers like GM and Mercedes, adopt a uniform solution.","

Removal of Unnecessary Requirements":"> NHTSA is also proposing to remove some lighting requirements that wouldn’t make sense for a vehicle without a human driver. These include physical hazard switches, manual beam shifters, and turn levers inside the vehicle. The agency is updating the 12.8-volt testing standard to accommodate modern LED architectures without administrative hurdles.","

Future Considerations":"> NHTSA is considering getting rid of requirements dictating whether high-beam lights sit above or below low-beam lights. This update is part of a broader push by the Department of Transportation to streamline the deployment of autonomous vehicles, making it easier for automakers to build cars without traditional controls like steering wheels and pedals."}