NHTSA Opens Landmark Rewrite of US Vehicle Lighting Rules

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching a fresh effort to overhaul Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, the regulation that governs vehicle lighting — and headlight glare sits at the top of the agenda. According to the agency, the existing rulebook has fallen behind the lighting technology automakers are already capable of building, prompting a rethink that could reshape how vehicles are lit on American roads.

The scope reaches well beyond glare. Reviewers will examine LED lighting, dusk sensors, replaceable light sources and automatic high beams, as well as headlamp height and aim. Testing procedures for plastic optics and replacement lenses are also on the table, alongside the question of aligning US requirements more closely with international safety standards.

To drive the changes, NHTSA is turning to negotiated rulemaking for the first time in more than a quarter century. A committee of up to 18 stakeholders will help draft the revisions. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy is set to appoint representatives from lamp manufacturers, equipment and engineering associations, safety organisations and research bodies, with nominations and public comments due by 9 November 2026.

The commercial stakes are considerable. Closer harmonisation with global rules could reduce the need for lamp designs built exclusively for the US market, easing development and production burdens for suppliers. Perhaps just as importantly, lighting specialists would gain a direct seat at the drafting table — an unusual degree of influence over the rules they must meet.

In a statement, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison framed the effort as both a safety and an innovation play. He said current standards prevent automakers from deploying the newest safety-improving lighting technologies, adding that the collaborative process is intended to modernise outdated regulations, encourage innovation and make the roads safer for everyone.

About 18 months after the review was announced…