Safe Roads Act of 2021

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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safe Roads Act of 2021 2. Motor vehicle safety standard (a) Motor vehicle safety standard for truck tractors with electronic stability control Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall— (1) prescribe a motor vehicle safety standard under section 30111 of title 49, United States Code, that requires any truck-tractor subject to Federal motor vehicle safety standard 136 (49 C.F.R. 571.136; relating to electronic stability control systems for heavy vehicles) that is manufactured after the effective date of the standard to be equipped with an automatic emergency braking system; and (2) include standards that establish the performance requirements for automatic emergency braking systems. (b) Federal motor carrier safety regulation for truck tractors with electronic stability control Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall prescribe a regulation under section 31136 of title 49, United States Code, that requires an automatic emergency braking system installed in any truck-tractor subject to Federal motor vehicle safety standard 136 (49 C.F.R. 571.136; relating to electronic stability control systems for heavy vehicles) in operation on or after the effective date to be used at any time during which the truck-tractor is in operation. (c) Report on automatic emergency braking in medium commercial motor vehicles Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall— (1) complete a study on equipping commercial motor vehicles with automatic emergency braking to avoid or mitigate a collision with an obstacle in the path of the vehicle; (2) submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the study described in paragraph (1); and (3) if the Secretary determines it to be necessary, initiate a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard for automatic emergency braking for all commercial motor vehicles, if appropriate. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Automatic emergency braking system The term automatic emergency braking system (A) alerts the driver of the obstacle; and (B) if necessary, to avoid or mitigate a collision with the obstacle, automatically applies the brakes of the vehicle. (2) Commercial motor vehicle The term commercial motor vehicle (3) Secretary The term Secretary

Summary: Safe Roads Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement motor vehicle safety standards that (1) require certain truck-tractors with electronic stability control systems to be equipped with an automatic emergency braking system, (2) establish performance requirements for such braking systems, and (3) require such systems to be used while the truck-tractors are in operation. DOT must also study and report on equipping commercial motor vehicles with automatic emergency braking to avoid or mitigate a collision with an obstacle in the path of the vehicle.