U.S. DOT Proposes Dropping Brake Pedal Requirement for Fully Driverless Vehicles

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed removing the federal mandate for brake pedals in fully autonomous vehicles, a move aimed at accelerating the deployment of purpose-built robotaxis. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the proposed update to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards on June 25, 2026, which would eliminate the requirement for manual brake pedals in vehicles designed to operate exclusively without a human driver. The change would not apply to conventional cars, which must still include brake pedals. The proposal is part of the Trump administration’s broader push to modernize regulations for autonomous vehicles, potentially benefiting companies like Tesla, Waymo, and Zoox. Tesla’s Cybercab, a two-seat electric robotaxi without a steering wheel or foot pedals, could see faster regulatory approval under the new rule. The robotaxi sector includes major players such as Amazon’s Zoox and Alphabet’s Waymo, the latter of which operates paid robotaxi services in 11 U.S. cities and plans to expand to 20 by the end of 2026. NHTSA emphasized that the proposed rule would not relax braking performance standards, including stopping distance requirements. Existing safety standards for automated driving systems with manual controls would remain unchanged. Historically, automakers have had to seek NHTSA exemptions to deploy autonomous vehicles that deviate from outdated federal standards. NHTSA stated that future modernization efforts may eliminate the need for such exemptions. The agency also noted it is developing broader safety performance requirements for real-world autonomous driving scenarios and will continue to enforce recalls and investigate unsafe automated driving system behavior through its defect authority.