SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Registration is required for anyone planning to attend the ADS Safety and Aftermarket Modifications Workshop. Attendees must register at docs.google.com/​forms/​d/​e/​1FAIpQLSeXXJaMDYzzts4WMpWT6dh5pds1wtwLVfXYXIIPTpdpAo4V_​w/​viewform no later than December 3, 2026. Please follow the registration instructions presented at the registration site. A sign language interpreter will be provided, and closed captioning services will be available. During registration, please indicate whether you may need any other type of special accommodation. Should it be necessary to cancel or reschedule the Workshop due to an unforeseen circumstance, NHTSA will take all available measures to notify registered participants as soon as possible. NHTSA will conduct the event informally, and technical rules of evidence will not apply. The Public meeting will not be live streamed but recorded, and a recording will be made available after the event.

Comments: Comments about either the Workshop may be submitted electronically or in hard copy during the 90-day comment period. Please submit all comments no later than.

April 19, 2027, by any of the following methods:

• Electronic submissions: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: (202) 493-2251.
• Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Suite W58-213, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9826 or (202) 366-9317 before coming.

Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and docket number for this notice. Note that all comments received will be posted without change to www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act below.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to www.regulations.gov at any time or the street address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets via internet.

Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you may visit www.regulations.gov/​privacy.html.

Confidential Business Information: If you claim that any of the information in your comment (including any additional documents or attachments) constitutes confidential business information within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) or is protected from disclosure pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1905, please see the detailed instructions given under the Public Participation heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

Background: As modern vehicles transform into software-defined ( printed page 68229) platforms reliant on intricate sensor suites and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), they increasingly present new challenges to the automotive aftermarket modification industry. While vehicle modification has long driven consumer customization, performance, and commercial utility, altering parameters like ride height, bumper geometry, body panels, or wheel offset could negatively impact the performance of ADAS by altering their calibration. Systems not calibrated accurately are likely to have reduced performance in detecting the critical crash imminent situations they were designed for and could lead to false activations resulting in potential safety hazards.

This event serves as a collaborative bridge between the broader automotive ecosystem and safety regulators, bringing together industry stakeholders, technical experts, and policymakers to examine engineering parameters, field realities, and data frameworks. Together, participants will explore practical, data-driven approaches to the possibility of maintaining the functionality of safety-critical ADAS and active safety technologies while preserving vehicle owner autonomy in altering their vehicles.

As time permits, there will be an opportunity for Workshop attendees to participate in Q&A following each panel.

Updates on this event will be available at www.nhtsa.gov/​events/​adas-workshop-aftermarket-modifications-and-adas-performance and NHTSA recommends checking back periodically for updates or potential schedule changes.

The Agency invites comments on the information presented, as well as input on any research needs, information gaps, and actionable next steps the public may believe NHTSA should address.

91 FR 68228