# NHTSA Proposes Optional Cyan Lamps for Automated Vehicles

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/40591
Published: 2026-10-25T16:15:45.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-25T16:15:45.000Z
Section: Regulation

> Automakers would not have to install the steady-burning lights. Those that do would have to follow proposed placement, height and activation rules.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed optional cyan lamps for automated vehicles operating without an occupant expected to monitor the road, giving other drivers a visual cue.

NHTSA announced the proposal Friday, Oct. 23, and the Federal Register publication date is Oct. 26. The draft would amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, which covers vehicle lamps, reflective devices and related equipment.

If manufacturers choose to add the steady-burning lamps, the proposal would permit one or two at the front, on each side and at the rear. That would mean four to eight lamps per vehicle, mounted at least 15 inches above the ground.

The proposed activation criteria depend on whether an occupant is expected to monitor the roadway. A lamp could activate when an automated driving system is operating without that expectation, and it would have to switch off when an occupant is expected to monitor the road.

The proposal does not require manufacturers to install the lamps on every vehicle with an automated driving system. It cites insufficient information to support a universal requirement and says potential safety benefits cannot be quantified. Inconsistent supplemental lights could confuse or distract other road users or interfere with required lighting.

The draft also would limit certain requirements for manual turn signals, hazard warnings and beam switching to vehicles with manually operated driving controls. NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said the updates would address “unnecessary regulatory burdens” for vehicles without traditional manual controls while establishing performance standards for automated-vehicle marker lamps.

The cyan lamps remain optional under the draft, and any installed lamps would have to meet the proposed specifications. Comments are due Nov. 25.