The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is collaborating with SAE to establish performance standards for autonomous vehicles through a new initiative called ASCEND, aiming to enhance safety and innovation in the sector.

US · 2026-09-20

1. Step 1 · The triggerNHTSA and SAE launch the ASCEND initiative to set federal AV performance standards, reducing regulatory uncertainty for AV developers.
2. Step 2 · Knock-onAV developers and suppliers accelerate investment and deployment planning, as compliance benchmarks become clearer and regulatory risk falls.
3. Step 3 · Reaches youUS SMEs in mobility, logistics, and tech face a shifting supplier landscape and should time AV adoption to the new standards, as early alignment brings operational and competitive advantages.

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Source: TechCrunch

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