Landmark ADAS bill introduced in Congress

Legislation would provide the aftermarket information needed to properly calibrate advanced driver assistance systems

Washington, D.C.—The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced the ADAS Functionality & Integrity Act (HB 6688), a bill that would provide aftermarket businesses information needed to properly calibrate advanced driver assistance systems after vehicles are modified.

The legislation, with bipartisan support, is critical to being able to safely make common modifications, including installing bike racks, wrapping a vehicle, installing larger wheels and tires, or installing a winch or aftermarket bumpers, without compromising the functionality of ADAS.

The ADAS Functionality & Integrity Act would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish ADAS guidelines to create modification ranges and tolerances for new vehicles starting in model-year ’28. The bill also requires NHTSA to create guidelines that establish ADAS test procedures that aftermarket businesses can properly test and validate that the vehicle systems have been properly calibrated.

The bill is timely because a forthcoming federal mandate requires new, model-year ’29 vehicles feature automatic emergency braking, bringing important safety systems to all new vehicles sold in the U.S.

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) worked closely with policymakers for the bill introduced by Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.) and cosponsored by Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) and Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.).

‘The introduction of the ADAS Functionality & Integrity Act is a landmark moment for anyone who owns, repairs, or modifies a vehicle,” said Jim Moore, SEMA vice president of OEM and product development. “Currently, the industry lacks clear standards governing ADAS calibration, and aftermarket businesses and vehicle owners need access to the necessary calibration information and procedures needed to keep modern safety features functioning.

“This bill marks a critical step forward in the name of vehicle safety and is a major step forward in protecting the American people’s right to modify the vehicles they own.”

Why it matters

• SEMA’s research indicates that more than 50 million cars and trucks in the United States are modified or accessorized each year, a number that both underscores the urgent need for ADAS standards that account for real-world vehicle modifications and the significant number of consumers who modify their vehicles.
   
• Beginning in model-year ’29, all new passenger cars and light trucks must be equipped with certain ADAS technology, specifically automatic emergency braking under NHTSA’s FMVSS 127 rulemaking. The ADAS Functionality & Integrity Act is critical to ensure that these advanced safety systems continue to work properly even after vehicles are repaired or modified, and pathways to compliance are clear as ADAS becomes standard on every vehicle. 

Read the full ADAS Functionality & Integrity Act here.