Argentina vehicle safety and market deregulation

Legislative and executive efforts in Argentina have focused on enhancing road safety through new vehicle regulations. Members of the PRO bloc introduced a bill to create a legal framework for autonomous vehicles, aiming to update the Insurance Law to address civil liability, cyber risks, and manufacturer responsibility in automated driving scenarios.

At the municipal level, the PRO bloc in the City Council has presented a draft ordinance to regulate the movement, parking, loading, and unloading of vehicles used to transport construction materials. This initiative seeks to address safety concerns regarding trucks and trailers operated by local supply stores, specifically targeting vehicles circulating with deficient conditions such as lacking mandatory lights, reflective signaling, or adequate load containment systems.

On a national scale, the Argentine government has moved to deregulate the automotive market and simplify the homologation process for both domestic and imported zero-kilometer vehicles through Decree 796/2026. Signed by President Javier Milei, Chief of Staff Diego Santilli, and Economy Minister Luis Caputo, the decree modifies National Traffic Law regulations to streamline imports.

A significant component of this reform is the direct recognition of United States safety certifications. Argentina will now accept the ‘Blue Ribbon Letter’ issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as sufficient evidence of compliance with active and passive safety standards. This allows vehicles built under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to be approved without additional local testing, provided their identity is verified via the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). While the decree also liberalizes the market for auto parts by eliminating prior authorizations, all vehicles must still obtain a Model Configuration License (LCM) and an Environmental Configuration License (LCA).