U.S. Senate Confirms President Trump’s Nominees to Lead Federal Vehicle Safety Agencies

The United States Senate voted to confirm Jonathan Morrison as the new Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Senate included Morrison's confirmation within a package of dozens of other presidential nominations in an effort to quicken the confirmation process. The confirmations package received 51 votes in favor and 47 votes in opposition, with only Republicans voting in favor and only Democrats voting against it.

During his confirmation hearing, Morrison argued in favor of NHTSA instituting national comprehensive safety regulations for autonomous vehicles (AV). He stated in his opening remarks that, “The realization of the mobility and safety benefits from AVs depends entirely upon consumer trust, and that trust must be rooted in safety.” He also emphasized that he intends to proactively communicate with AV manufacturers to improve their understanding of NHTSA’s expectations with regards to the AV design approval process, which many manufacturers complain is too slow and bureaucratic.

In the same vote, the Senate also confirmed Derek Barrs to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which largely oversees safety in the trucking industry. In his confirmation hearing, Barrs said he would prioritize safety inspections for trucks to prevent and catch truck condition violations. “Doing regular and routine inspection is critical,” he noted.

ASA congratulates Morrison and Barrs on their confirmations and looks forward to working with them to advance vehicle safety.