Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has unveiled a new proposal aimed at protecting what he calls Americans' right to drive "Freedom Cars"—a term that appears to be making its first appearance in federal transportation policy. The phrase appeared in a July 22 letter seen by Newsweek from Duffy to key congressional committee leaders. The letter outlined the Trump administration's priorities for a major surface transportation reauthorization bill ahead of a September 30 funding deadline, covering everything from highway expansion and automated vehicles to bike lanes and transit funding. Under the proposal, federal law would prohibit any federal, state, tribal or local government from requiring that vehicles be equipped with automated driving systems or have the capability to transmit data wirelessly. Newsweek reached out to the Department of Transportation via email for comment. What Is a 'Freedom Car'? Despite the branding, "Freedom Cars" are not actual cars. The term refers to a proposed consumer-rights protection that would prevent governments from requiring motorists to own connected or self-driving vehicles. The term appears in a section of Duffy's letter titled "Freedom Car Right to Drive Disconnected and Non-Automated," which would prohibit governments from requiring vehicles to be equipped with automated driving systems or capable of transmitting data wirelessly. The letter states that the aim is to "prohibit any Federal, State, tribal, or local authority from mandating that vehicles sold or operated on public roads be equipped with automated driving systems or be capable of transmitting data wirelessly." The proposal is part of a broader section called "Protecting Consumer Choice," where Duffy argues that Americans should retain the ability to purchase and operate traditional vehicles even as the auto industry develops more advanced autonomous-driving technologies. The term "Freedom Car" appears to follow a familiar pattern in Trump administration rhetoric. Just as supporters have used the