Standing General Order 2021‑01 — Incident Reporting for Automated Driving Systems (ADS) and Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
The Standing General Order 2021‑01 (issued June 29, 2021) requires certain manufacturers and operators of vehicles equipped with Automated Driving Systems (ADS) and SAE Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to report specific crashes to NHTSA. The order is based on the agency’s authority under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act to gather safety information and identify potential defects.
Under this order:
- Entities subject to the order must report crashes involving ADS or Level 2 ADAS that occur while the automated system is engaged or shortly thereafter, with specified reporting timelines (e.g., within one calendar day of learning of a crash that meets criteria).
- The purpose of the reporting requirement is to provide NHTSA with timely incident data so it can monitor safety performance and investigate potential safety defects in emerging automation technologies.
- The order applies to prototype and production vehicles equipped with ADS or Level 2 ADAS and is intended to support federal oversight of safety issues as these technologies operate on public roads.
This 2021 version is the original standing order that has since been amended by later orders to refine reporting scope and criteria, but the foundational requirement to report certain crashes involving automation remains central to U.S. AV safety policy.