I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3591 

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe a motor vehicle safety 

standard that requires new commercial motor vehicles to be equipped 

with an automatic emergency braking system, to require automatic emergency braking installed in commercial motor vehicles to be used while 

in operation, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 28, 2021 

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia (for himself, Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, Mr. COHEN, 

and Mr. BERGMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to 

the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe a 

motor vehicle safety standard that requires new commercial motor vehicles to be equipped with an automatic 

emergency braking system, to require automatic emergency braking installed in commercial motor vehicles to 

be used while in operation, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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•HR 3591 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe Roads Act of 

3 2021’’. 

4 SEC. 2. MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD. 

5 (a) MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD FOR TRUCK

6 TRACTORS WITH ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL.— 

7 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 

8 section, the Secretary of Transportation shall— 

9 (1) prescribe a motor vehicle safety standard 

10 under section 30111 of title 49, United States Code, 

11 that requires any truck-tractor subject to Federal 

12 motor vehicle safety standard 136 (49 C.F.R. 

13 571.136; relating to electronic stability control sys14 tems for heavy vehicles) that is manufactured after 

15 the effective date of the standard to be equipped 

16 with an automatic emergency braking system; and 

17 (2) include standards that establish the per18 formance requirements for automatic emergency 

19 braking systems. 

20 (b) FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATION

21 FOR TRUCK TRACTORS WITH ELECTRONIC STABILITY

22 CONTROL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact23 ment of this section, the Secretary shall prescribe a regu24 lation under section 31136 of title 49, United States Code, 

25 that requires an automatic emergency braking system in26 stalled in any truck-tractor subject to Federal motor vehiVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:30 Jun 24, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3591.IH H3591

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1 cle safety standard 136 (49 C.F.R. 571.136; relating to 

2 electronic stability control systems for heavy vehicles) in 

3 operation on or after the effective date to be used at any 

4 time during which the truck-tractor is in operation. 

5 (c) REPORT ON AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

6 IN MEDIUM COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES.—Not later 

7 than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, 

8 the Secretary shall— 

9 (1) complete a study on equipping commercial 

10 motor vehicles with automatic emergency braking to 

11 avoid or mitigate a collision with an obstacle in the 

12 path of the vehicle; 

13 (2) submit to the Committee on Commerce, 

14 Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 

15 Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure 

16 and Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep17 resentatives a report on the study described in para18 graph (1); and 

19 (3) if the Secretary determines it to be nec20 essary, initiate a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 

21 Standard for automatic emergency braking for all 

22 commercial motor vehicles, if appropriate. 

23 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

24 (1) AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYS25 TEM.—The term ‘‘automatic emergency braking sysVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:30 Jun 24, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3591.IH H3591

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1 tem’’ means a system on a commercial motor vehicle 

2 that, based on a predefined distance and closing rate 

3 with respect to an obstacle in the path of the vehi4 cle— 

5 (A) alerts the driver of the obstacle; and 

6 (B) if necessary, to avoid or mitigate a col7 lision with the obstacle, automatically applies 

8 the brakes of the vehicle. 

9 (2) COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE.—The term 

10 ‘‘commercial motor vehicle’’ means a motor vehicle 

11 or truck-tractor used in commerce to transport prop12 erty that has a gross vehicle weight rating or a gross 

13 vehicle weight of not less than 10,001 pounds. 

14 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

15 the Secretary of Transportation. 

Æ 


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