The U.S. Department of Transportation is proposing one of the most significant updates to federal vehicle safety regulations since autonomous driving technology began emerging. If approved, the change would eliminate the requirement for a physical brake pedal in vehicles designed to operate without a human driver. The proposal comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as part of the agency's Automated Vehicle Framework. Federal officials say the goal is to modernize decades-old safety regulations that were written with human drivers in mind. The proposal applies only to vehicles designed exclusively for automated driving systems (ADS). Conventional vehicles and autonomous models that still include manual driving controls would continue to follow the existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Importantly, the proposal does not reduce braking performance requirements. Instead, it changes how fully autonomous vehicles are allowed to meet those standards when no human driver is expected to operate the vehicle. Removing Controls That Drivers Will Never Use Under the proposed update to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, manufacturers would no longer be required to install hand- or foot-operated brake controls in vehicles built exclusively for autonomous operation. That means future robotaxis and purpose-built self-driving vehicles could be certified without traditional brake pedals. Vehicles such as Tesla's Cybercab, which was unveiled without a steering wheel or pedals, are examples of the type of design the updated regulation could accommodate. The proposal only applies to vehicles that will never be driven by a person. Autonomous vehicles that retain steering wheels, brake pedals, or other manual controls would still be required to meet all existing federal standards governing those components. Safety Standards Would Still Remain Although the proposal removes the requirement for a physical brake pedal, it does not eliminate braking performance requirements. Every qualifying autonomous vehicle would still