Last modified on October 8, 2024

Automated Vehicles Comprehensive Plan

1 January 2021

The Automated Vehicles Comprehensive Plan (Comprehensive Plan) advances the United States Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) work to prioritize safety while preparing for the future of transportation. Building upon the principles stated in Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0 (AV 4.0), the
plan defines three goals to achieve this vision for Automated Driving Systems (ADS):

  1. Promote Collaboration and Transparency – U.S. DOT will promote access to clear and reliable information to its partners and stakeholders, including the public, regarding the capabilities and limitations of ADS.
  2. Modernize the Regulatory Environment – U.S. DOT will modernize regulations to remove unintended and unnecessary barriers to innovative vehicle designs, features, and operational models, and will develop safetyfocused frameworks and tools to assess the safe performance of ADS technologies.
  3. Prepare the Transportation System – U.S. DOT will conduct, in partnership with stakeholders, the foundational research and demonstration activities needed to safely evaluate and integrate ADS, while working to improve the safety, efficiency, and accessibility of the transportation system.

Each goal includes a discussion of key objectives, as well as associated illustrative actions the Department is undertaking to address priorities while preparing for the future. These actions include an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Framework for Automated Driving System Safety,1 which will create a safety framework for defining, assessing, and
providing for the safety of ADS, while allowing safety innovations and novel designs to be introduced into commerce more efficiently. The plan also includes a set of real-world examples that relate the U.S. DOT’s framework for ADS integration to emerging technology applications. The Department will periodically review its activities and plans to reflect new technology and industry developments, eliminate unnecessary or redundant initiatives, and align investments with emerging focus areas.
The Comprehensive Plan was informed by extensive stakeholder engagement and the ongoing efforts of U.S. DOT’s operating administrations and the Office of the Secretary of Transportation to understand and respond to the opportunities and challenges presented by ADS. It is intended to reflect the Department’s fundamental focus on safety,
transportation system efficiency, and mobility for people and goods.
The U.S. DOT developed the Comprehensive Plan document to help stakeholders understand ADS activities across the Department and in response to recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Congress.