Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) have extended the comment periods for possible amendments to two sets of federal regulations that impact autonomous vehicles: the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). Originally, the comment period was scheduled to conclude on July 29. It will now remain open until August 28. The advance notices of proposed rulemaking (ANPRMs) were originally published on May 28.

Both agencies' calls for public comment are aimed at determining whether the rules and regulations currently in place are, collectively, an obstacle to the effective rollout of autonomous vehicles. The NHTSA is requesting comment on challenges concerning testing and compliance with FMVSS standards in vehicles that lack human controls. Similarly, the FMCSA is asking for comment on any FMCSR sections that may need to be "amended, revised, or eliminated" to facilitate the public deployment of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). Questions pertaining to either proposed rulemaking, should be directed to Eric Tanenblatt or Crawford Schneider.

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