Ban Blinding Headlights! NHTSA Rulemaking for Lighting is Live
Dear Supporters,
The NHTSA rulemaking notice to establish an advisory committee for vehicle lighting is now live. (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/08/2026-20648/notice-of-intent-to-establish-a-negotiated-rulemaking-advisory-committee-for-vehicle-lighting). Press the green SUBMIT A PUBLIC COMMENT button. You may attach a separate file to the comment.
NHTSA proposes 18 members for the committee, with membership heavily weighted towards industry. NHTSA specifically states that anyone who feels that the membership categories don't fully represent their interests, should submit a comment. That's where we come in.
The Soft Lights Foundation proposes the following committee members, one representative each:
1. NHTSA.
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
3. Automaker (e.g. Ford, GM, or Tesla).
4. Elderly organization (e.g. American Association of Retired Persons).
5. Eye organization (e.g. American Academy of Ophthalmology).
6. Medical organization (e.g. American Medical Association).
7. Auto organization (e.g. American Automobile Association).
8. Vehicle lighting manufacturer (e.g. Osram or Sylvania).
9. Automotive research facility (e.g. University of Nebraska Lincoln or Mount Sinai Light and Health Research Center).
10. Standards setting body (e.g. IEEE or SAE).
11. Autism organization (e.g. Autism Society of America).
12. National Eye Institute.
13. Optical engineering association (e.g. Optica or SPIE).
14. Transport Canada.
15. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
16. Bicyclist organization (e.g. League of American Bicyclists).
17. Trucking association (e.g. American Trucking Associations or Owner or Operator Independent Drivers Association).
18. Consumer Reports.
19. U.S. Access Board.
20. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
21. Epilepsy organization (e.g. Epilepsy Foundation).
We also recommend that the following topics be addressed by the committee.
1. Glare.
2. Restrictions on spectral power distribution, including blue wavelength light.
3. Overall limits on intensity, including both luminous intensity and luminance.
4. Restrictions and minimum requirements for source size.
5. Headlamps, Daytime Running Lamps, turn signals, brake lights, tail lights, and restrictions on all lighting parameters.
6. Upper and lower beam photometry.
7. Standardized mounting height for headlamps.
8. Eliminating the 0.5 degree testing loophole.
9. Enforcement of federal safety regulations under FMVSS-108.
10. Explicit statement of NHTSA's steady burning position for auxiliary warning lamps.
11. Photobiological, neurological, hormonal, and psychological safety.
12. Non-visual systems such as infrared and LiDAR, and restrictions on electromagnetic radiation.
13. Adaptive Driving Beam, including the comfort and psychological impacts.
14. Harmonization with Canadian and International standards.
15. Restrictions on flicker and Pulse Width Modulation for neurological safety.
16. Impacts of speed, hills, bumps, corners, and turns on glare.
17. Comparison of lighting technologies against the sealed beam halogen headlamp in terms of cost, comfort, physical safety, eye safety, glare, and other parameters.
18. Replacement cost for headlamps.
The above lists are guidelines and please feel free to submit your own requests.
Sincerely,
Mark Baker
President
Soft Lights Foundation
www.softlights.org
mbaker@softlights.org
X: @softlights_org
Bluesky: @softlights-org.bsky.social