Pediatric vehicular heatstroke occurs when body temperature exceeds 104°F, with children’s body temperatures rising three to five times faster than adults’. An average of 37 pediatric vehicular heatstroke fatalities occur yearly from 1998–2024, primarily from children being forgotten in vehicles. NHTSA has tested retrofit, aftermarket, and vehicle manufacturer unattended child reminder systems using direct and indirect sensing approaches. Testing revealed Bluetooth-connected devices alert at varying distances depending on signal strength, capacitive and pressure devices face false trigger risks, and direct sensing radar systems show inconsistent detection across vehicles and seating positions. NHTSA plans to publish an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comments on amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to require rear seat occupant detection systems.

From 1998 to 2025, 1,041 pediatric vehicular heatstroke fatalities occurred, with an average of 37 fatalities yearly. NHTSA assessed direct sensing radar systems in Genesis GV70, Toyota Sienna, and other vehicles, finding detection rates varied between vehicles and seating locations. Testing used Child Presence Detection dummies simulating newborn infants. NHTSA also evaluated aftermarket systems including retrofit devices like Ride & Remind and non-retrofit devices like SensorSafe, finding widely varying detection and alerting features. NHTSA continues investigating performance of strategies to reduce pediatric vehicular heatstroke risk and developing test procedures and performance criteria for evolving technologies.

Two-slide introduction to the parallel electric vehicle informal group working on safety standards.

Presentation on the organization of work projects under the program to develop global technical regulations on electric vehicle safety (Electric Vehicle Safety informal working group).

Presentation by NHTSA’s Office of the Chief (Legal) Counsel explaining the requirements of the US rulemaking process, especially in relation to the prospects for transposing a GTR into an FMVSS.

NHTSA Office of Applied Vehicle Safety Research-Crashworthiness Division presentation on research into Li-ion battery safety issues and remedies.

Overview of NHTSA electric vehicle safety research, including cooperation with SAE, toward the establishment of test procedures to evaluate the safety performance of rechargeable energy storage systems and other electrical vehicle components and systems.

Directions to the US Department of Transportation headquarters in Washington, DC.

Status report on investigations into various electric vehicle fires, including Flyer and Orion buses, Chevrolet Volt, Fisker Karma, and Tesla Model S.

“BMS Failure Mode Test Report: DC Charging Interface: Test Procedure, Test Report and Graphs”—Excerpt from the DRAFT Test Procedures developed by NHTSA provided as a contribution to the work on electric vehicle safety GTR provisions.

Excerpt from the DRAFT Test Procedures developed by NHTSA provided as a contribution to the work on electric vehicle safety GTR provisions.

Excerpt from the DRAFT Test Procedures developed by NHTSA and provided as a contribution to the work on electric vehicle safety GTR provisions.

Excerpt from the DRAFT Test Procedures developed by NHTSA and provided as a contribution to the work on electric vehicle safety GTR provisions.

Excerpt from the DRAFT Test Procedures developed by NHTSA and provided as a contribution to the work on electric vehicle safety GTR provisions.

US comments on the draft GTR text as presented in document EVS-08-07.

Brief NHTSA update on US data-collection and analysis activities regarding electric vehicle safety.

Includes review of NHTSA EV safety investigations and research activities.

NHTSA-sponsored project to research, develop, document, and demonstrate REESS assessment and discharge procedures with enabling technology and architecture requirements (if needed), including device concepts, which may be commonly integrated into REESS designs for the safe management, removal, and handling of stranded energy of an inoperative REESS.

This report outlines draft test procedures developed under the transposition of GTR 20 and results of in-use testing on the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt.