NHTSA proposes cyan lighting standards for autonomous vehicles

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed updates to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108 to better accommodate automated driving systems (ADS). A central part of the proposal involves the introduction of distinctive cyan marker lamps to signal to pedestrians, cyclists, law enforcement, and other drivers when a vehicle is being operated by software rather than a human.

While the use of these cyan lights would be voluntary for manufacturers, the proposal establishes uniform standards for their color, brightness, mounting locations, and visibility to prevent confusion. Proposed mounting locations include the front, sides, and rear of the vehicle, with a minimum height of approximately 38 centimeters above the roadway.

Additionally, the proposal seeks to provide greater regulatory flexibility for purpose-built vehicles that lack traditional human controls, such as steering wheels or pedals. This includes revising requirements for manually activated turn signals, hazard lights, and headlamp switches, which were originally designed around human-operated vehicle architecture.