Issues
Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a draft version of “Cybersecurity Best Practices for the Safety of Modern Vehicles”. This document is an updated version of a 2016 document of the same name and provides guidelines and recommendations from NHTSA to the automotive industry for improving vehicle cybersecurity and safety. Included…
The Department of Transportation (DOT) released today a comprehensive plan for autonomous vehicles. This document builds on previous work from DOT to regulate autonomous vehicle production and is organized into three main goals: promote collaboration and transparency, modernize the regulatory environment, and prepare the transportation system. To read the full document, click here.
President-elect Joe Biden is currently in the process of choosing his Cabinet members and other high-ranking government leadership positions. Some of these nominations must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, while others do not require a confirmation vote. Click here to see up-to-date nominations for the various Cabinet and leadership positions.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced this morning that the second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) lending is set to open the week of January 11. The second round of PPP loans will be available to small businesses with less than 300 employees who have experienced a 25% reduction in revenue in any quarter…
The Minnesota Auto Dealers filed a suit against the state of Minnesota today in federal court. The lawsuit is an effort to stop the state from adopting harsher clean car standards set by the state of California. The auto dealers argue that the new standards would raise costs for consumers and hinder their choice of…
The Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (The Economic Aid Act) was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020. This legislation includes a provision for a second round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) lending of forgivable loans to small businesses struggling due to the pandemic. Today, the…
The U.S Department of Labor announced a final rule today clarifying the standards for independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This rule is intended to mitigate worker misclassification by detailing the qualifications for an independent contractor. Under this new rule, independent contractors will continue to use the “economic reality” test to…
NHTSA has recently released an interim final rule that would allow manufacturers in the United States, particularly those manufacturing autonomous vehicles, to obtain permission from NHTSA to manufacture and test vehicles that do not currently comply with the Federal motor safety standards. To date, NHTSA has only allowed manufacturers of foreign vehicles to obtain…
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has extended the deadline to apply for a COVID-19 pandemic Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) to December 31, 2021. Loans distributed through the EIDL program differ from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. EIDL loans are not eligible for forgiveness and must be paid back. However, the loans have a…
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced last week the initiation of antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations for the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. These investigations are intended to determine whether or not passenger vehicle and light truck (PVLT) tires from these nations are being dumped in…