Vehicle Safety Research Act of 2025
This bill provides statutory authority for the Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety (PARTS) program in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). PARTS is an accord among automakers and NHTSA, which enables participants to voluntarily share safety-related data, via an independent third party, for collaborative safety analysis.
The bill specifies that
Further, the bill specifies that NHTSA is not required to promulgate any regulations to carry out the PARTS program.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1474 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1474
To codify the PARTS program of the Department of Transportation, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 10, 2025
Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Young) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To codify the PARTS program of the Department of Transportation, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Vehicle Safety Research Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. PARTS PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) External organization.--The term ``external
organization'' means a nonprofit organization or institution of
higher education with experience fulfilling contracts with
Federal agencies--
(A) to carry out independent research; or
(B) to administer federally-funded research and
development centers.
(2) PARTS program.--The term ``PARTS program'' means the
Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic Safety (PARTS)
program established by subsection (b).
(3) PARTS program participant.--The term ``PARTS program
participant'' means an entity that has--
(A) voluntarily chosen to participate in the PARTS
program; and
(B) been accepted as a participant in the PARTS
program under the charter developed pursuant to
subsection (b).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(b) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of
Transportation a program, to be known as the ``Partnership for
Analytics Research in Traffic Safety (PARTS) program'', which shall be
a continuation of the Partnership for Analytics Research in Traffic
Safety (PARTS) program of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of
this Act).
(c) Governance.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with PARTS
program participants and any external organization that enters into a
contract with the Secretary under subsection (d), shall develop a
charter that shall govern the PARTS program.
(d) PARTS Program Research.--The Secretary shall enter into a
contract with an external organization to conduct research to gather,
analyze, and share certain traffic safety data and information pursuant
to the PARTS program.
(e) Information Used for Research Pursuant to the Parts Program.--
Data submitted by PARTS program participants under the PARTS program
shall be submitted in accordance with the charter developed under
subsection (c), which shall, at minimum--
(1) ensure that all data--
(A) remains under the ownership and control of the
applicable PARTS program participant; and
(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), is not
accessible by any other entity other than an external
organization that enters into a contract with the
Secretary under subsection (d);
(2) prevent PARTS program participant data or data analysis
from being shared with any other PARTS program participant
without express permission granted through a process agreed to
pursuant to--
(A) the charter developed under subsection (c); or
(B) a cooperative agreement entered into between a
PARTS program participant and an external organization;
(3) institute safeguards in data gathering and handling by
an external organization pursuant to this subsection;
(4) prevent reverse engineering aggregate data analysis
results or other attempts to derive the identity of PARTS
program participants from data analysis results;
(5) outline the intended use of data analysis results,
which shall only include--
(A) the development, deployment, safety assessment,
and regulation of safety technology; and
(B) the development of safety countermeasures; and
(6) clarify that the participation of a PARTS program
participant in the PARTS program does not affect or satisfy any
other existing Federal regulatory requirements, including
reporting requirements mandated by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration.
(f) Confidentiality.--Pursuant to section 552(b)(3)(B) of title 5,
United States Code, any report, data, communications between, work
product, or other information voluntarily submitted to the Secretary or
an external organization that enters into a contract with the Secretary
under subsection (d) for purposes relating to conducting research
pursuant to the PARTS program shall not be disclosed to the public.
(g) Applicability of Paperwork Reduction Act.--Subchapter I of
chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the
``Paperwork Reduction Act''), shall not apply to any report, data,
communication, work product, or other information gathered under the
PARTS program.
(h) No Regulations Required.--Notwithstanding any other provision
of law, the Secretary shall not be required to promulgate any
regulations to carry out the PARTS program.
(i) Savings Provision.--This section shall not apply to any report,
data, communication, work product, or other information--
(1) required to be submitted to the Secretary under any
other provision of law; or
(2) otherwise available to the Secretary.
(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the PARTS program--
(1) for fiscal year 2026, $4,000,000;
(2) for fiscal year 2027, $6,000,000;
(3) for fiscal year 2028, $7,000,000;
(4) for fiscal year 2029, $8,000,000; and
(5) for fiscal year 2030, $9,000,000.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
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